A fashion happening like no other: Sotheby's auctions Lagerfeld's treasures

It's been just under three years since fashion maestro Karl Lagerfeld passed away. From his beginnings in 1930s Germany, to wearing the crown of fashion design, Karl Lagerfeld truly made his mark on the world of high-end luxury. His career took off when he moved to Paris at a young age. At just fourteen years old, Karl Lagerfeld began making his way through the Paris fashion scene, feeling out the city and its pulse, making contacts, and, first and foremost, impressing with his work. His first steps brought him to the biggest names: Balmain and Chloé. When Lagerfeld became creative director at Chanel in 1983, everyone advised him against it. He lifted the dusty brand, which had been in decline after Coco Chanel's death (Lagerfeld was never to meet the grande dame in person), out of its slumber like no other. From 1965, he was at the Italian luxury brand Fendi and polished up its image. And as if this workload wasn't impressive enough, he also had his own line and surprised with collaborations, such as H&M or Coke Light. The latter, by the way, was his favourite drink, which the eloquent fashion tsar always drank from his beloved Baccarat glasses. 

Now, Mr Lagerfeld has not only left us with his impressive collections and influences on the fashion world, but also an extensive estate. After all, he was always considered a collector. This collection of extraordinary items is now being auctioned by the auction house Sotheby's. It will be auctioned in Paris and Monaco from November to December and in Cologne in March 2022. 

It is already rumoured that seven of Lagerfeld's muses are fighting over his 200 million dollar fortune. But Chanel N°5 and all the others can take a back seat for now, because Lagerfeld's beloved cat Choupette has priority, of course.

In 2018, Lagerfeld told French magazine Numéro that he had named the Birman cat as one of the heirs to his estate. On several occasions, Lagerfeld even hinted that he would bequeath his entire estate to Choupette, as she was an "inspiration for elegance" in his eyes. Marrying his cat would not have gone amiss for him either. But unfortunately, neither is feasible under English law, as pets are still considered property. Therefore, an object, like a pet, cannot have an owner and cannot inherit the estate of a deceased person. It is estimated that Choupette has already earned millions from advertising campaigns, so she can live a carefree life without her inheritance.

The auction includes many items from Karl Lagerfeld's residences in Monaco and Paris. There are quite a few items and collections that reflect not only his personal taste but also some elements from his life and career, including his own artwork, especially his photography, that will be auctioned.

Lagerfeld was a very avid collector, so you can imagine how much art and design he accumulated over the nearly 50 decades he was at the top of the fashion world.

Just when we had you believe that it couldn't get any more extravagant, we introduce you to three more pieces of jewellery by the former designer.

One thing is for sure: Karl Lagerfeld liked it classy and outrageous.

With the sale of over thousands of lots, Sotheby does not only pay tribute to the designer genius but at the same time tells the story of the famous fashion designer in front of the eyes of the whole world.