born Sept. 10, 1938, Hamburg, Ger.
German fashion designer.
After moving to Paris at age 14, he went on to create designs for such established labels as Pierre Balmain, Chloe, Valentino, and Fendi. He is best known as the creative power behind the modern revival of the house of Chanel, which he joined in 1983. Lagerfeld consistently managed to merge the spirit of the times with the chic, timeless identity established by the house's founder, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel , making Chanel one of the most coveted and influential labels in late 20th-century fashion.