The 2023 Met Gala is honoring late German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld with its theme, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.” While many avid fashion fans are familiar with his name, other viewers want to know more about the industry’s popular visionary. 

Keep reading to learn everything we know about who Karl Lagerfeld was. 

Who Is Karl Lagerfeld? 

The Hamburg, Germany, native was the creative director of the world-famous French fashion house Chanel as well as the Italian fur and leather brand Fendi. 

While he rose to prominence in the early 1980s, Karl officially began designing dresses and other outfits in the early 1950s. After designer Coco Chanel died, her fashion brand was considered to be falling through the cracks by the early 1980s. However, once Karl was hired to work for the company in 1983, he revamped its clothing line and re-catapulted it to success. 

One year after he began working with Chanel, Karl created his own brand named after himself. 

Who Is Karl Lagerfeld? Death, Net Worth, Met Gala Legacy
Laurent VU/SIPA/Shutterstock

How Is Karl Lagerfeld Connected to the Met Gala? 

As one of the most prominent figureheads in the fashion world, it should come as no surprise that the Costume Institute Benefit decided to pay tribute to him. 

Per Vogue, the gala will honor the late designer, “who was a regular attendee at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute.” 

Since celebrity attendees have several brands to choose from, the 2023 Met Gala will have no shortage in fashion tributes. 

As a fashion guru, Kim Kardashian teased the look she picked out for the costume ball after visiting Karl’s former workplace in Paris. 

“Had a date with @choupetteofficiel in Paris,” she captioned an Instagram post shortly before the event. “We then spent some time at @karllagerfeld’s office to get a little inspiration for the Met.” 

What Was Karl Lagerfeld’s Net Worth? 

Due to his flexibility in designing for other brands as well as his own, Karl was worth an estimated $300 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth

Thanks to his contracts with Chanel and Fendi, Karl made a minimum of $50 million in income, per the outlet. 

When Did Karl Lagerfeld Die? 

The late fashion mogul died in February 2019 following health complications from pancreatic cancer. Though he requested that there be no public funeral, Karl’s work was honored in June 2019 at the Grand Palais in France with a fashion show called “Karl For Ever.” The show featured several designs of his from Chanel, Fendi and Chloé.