Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld fuchsia mohair silk turtle-neck sweater dress, fw 2015
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: FR 36 - UK 8 - US 4 (EU)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU140211355602
Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel
More than a mere tastemaker, Karl Lagerfeld devoted himself to the continual pursuit of chic. “My life and my job,” the designer once said, “is to forget myself.” From his first collection at Chanel — after joining the brand in the early 1980s — he injected the venerable house with a frisson of modernity. Vintage Karl Lagerfeld designs for Chanel handbags, evening dresses, coats, jewelry and other clothing and accessories riffed on its iconography — tweed skirt suits, pearls, camellias — accenting a lexicon of Chanel-isms with tastes of the moment.
During his five-decade career as a designer for Chanel, Fendi, Chloé and many others, Lagerfeld was a quintessential chameleon, ever evolving to embody the times. An outsize, instantly recognizable personality — his ponytail powdered like an 18th-century viscount, his eyes perpetually shielded by dark glasses, wearing fistfuls of chunky silver jewels — Lagerfeld was, above all, an avatar of style.
Born in Hamburg (in 1933, ’35, or ’38 by varying accounts), Karl Lagerfeld packed his bags for Paris in 1954. His design for a coat won him the International Wool Secretariat and landed him a job with the celebrated couturier Pierre Balmain.
Lagerfeld went on to become the designer of Jean Patou, eventually realizing that his seemingly endless ideas could fuel a career as a designer-for-hire. As such, he lent his vision to everyone from Loewe and Max Mara to Krizia and Charles Jourdan, nimbly moving among a diverse range of styles. It was an unprecedented way of working in the days when freelance was still a dirty word.
During the late ’60s and ’70s, Lagerfeld refashioned Chloé to reflect the free spirit of the day and, beginning in 1965, joined forces with the Fendi family, taking it from sleepy furrier to fashion’s haute-est stratum. Because of his track record for reviving and reimagining brands that had grown stagnant, in 1983 Lagerfeld was handed the reins at Chanel, which had been gathering dust since its founder’s heyday.
Lagerfeld’s collections for the brand displayed his knack for synthesizing old and new, high and low. From Watteau (Spring/Summer 1985 couture) and Serge Roche (Spring/Summer 1990 ready-to-wear) to hip-hop fly girls (Fall/Winter 1991 ready-to-wear), surfers (Spring/Summer 2003 ready-to-wear) and ancient Egypt (Pre-Fall 2019), he used each season’s inspiration to conceive Chanel’s signatures anew.
Lagerfeld revived the house's ballet flats and thoroughly embraced the classic logo's interlocking CCs, which became a common and immediately recognizable feature of Chanel flap bags. Many of the rare Chanel bags much sought after today — and Chanel bags of the 1990s, generally — are objects of pure fantasy conjured up by the late couturier.
Despite producing eight collections a year for Chanel, as well as four to five for Fendi, Lagerfeld never faltered in proposing new ideas each time he put pencil to paper.
Find vintage Karl Lagerfeld Chanel day dresses, jackets, shoes and more on 1stDibs.
Chanel
In the years following the opening of her modest millinery shop, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel became a pivotal designer of both fashionable casual wear and Paris haute couture as well as an icon and arbiter of 20th-century style with her bob haircut and pearls. Today vintage Chanel handbags, jackets and evening dresses are among the most sought-after clothing and accessories for fashion lovers all over the world.
The first Chanel shop was established in 1910 in Paris on rue Cambon by the young milliner Gabrielle Chanel (1883–1971), who had picked up the nickname “Coco” while working as a club singer. The boutique drew the attention of the Parisian fashion elite who popularized her wide-brimmed Chanel Modes hats. Soon she added a sportswear store in the Normandy resort town of Deauville, where Coco set the tone for her defining sense of style — traditionally masculine garments reimagined for feminine shapes, made from simple jersey fabric.
Effortless and elegant, Chanel's designs promoted comfort and grace in women’s wear that had been dominated in the previous century by complicated layers of fabric and cumbersome corsets. She followed this success with a couture house, opened in 1915 in Biarritz.
But Chanel was not born into a life of glamour. Following the death of her mother, her father left her in an orphanage where she lived until the age of 18. It was there that she learned to sew as well as appreciate the classic pairing of black and white as worn by the nuns.
In 1926, Chanel introduced her first little black dress, reclaiming a color that had once been reserved for mourning and working-class women. That same decade, she debuted her perfume, Chanel No. 5, as well as the Chanel suit with a fitted skirt, inspired by the boxy lines of men’s clothing and employing a sporty tweed.
Chanel closed her fashion operations during World War II, then returned to the industry in 1954 to design for the functional needs of modern women.
Structure and wearability endured in all of Chanel’s clothing and accessories, like the quilted leather 2.55 handbag — a 1955 update of a 1920s-era design — with its gold-chain shoulder strap that freed up a woman’s hands. The 1957 two-tone slingback pumps had a practical heel height while offering a bold statement in the black tip of the shoes. Her collarless jacket reacted against the constricting styles of Christian Dior's New Look, replacing them with a design that was timeless, an instant classic.
After Coco Chanel died in 1971, the brand underwent several changes in leadership, including fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who took over as artistic director in 1983. His collections for Chanel displayed his knack for synthesizing old and new, high and low. Lagerfeld revived Chanel ballet flats and thoroughly embraced the classic logo's interlocking CCs, which took the form of a clasp featured on so many of the rare Chanel bags that are much sought after today.
Vintage Karl Lagerfeld designs for Chanel dresses, coats and other clothing of the 1980s, '90s and 2000s riffed on its iconography, accenting a lexicon of Chanel-isms with tastes of the moment. And as the 1990s have become associated with styles adopted by today’s supermodels and influencers, vintage Chanel bags of the 1990s are among the most prized of the brand’s offerings.
Over the years, the company has continued to innovate, such as expanding into ready-to-wear fashion in 1978 and, in 2002, establishing a subsidiary company — Paraffection — dedicated to preserving the heritage skills of fashion artisan workshops. The House of Chanel still operates its flagship on rue Cambon in Paris, where it all began.
Browse vintage Chanel bags, evening dresses, shoes, jewelry and other clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: London, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Vivienne Westwood indigo cotton jersey dress printed dress, ss 1991By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GB▪ Vivienne Westwood dress ▪ Sold by One of a Kind Archive ▪ Constructed from indigo cotton jersey ▪ Neoclassical print inspired by Andre-Charles Boull...Category
1990s British Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Issey Miayke tricolour layered t-shirt dress with integrated cardigan, c. 1990sBy Issey MiyakeLocated in London, GBPresenting the Issey Miyake tricolour layered t-shirt maxi dress, a stunning and innovative creation from the designer's iconic 1990s collections. This unique dress features a grey ...Category
1990s Japanese Day Dresses
- John Galliano cream knitted silk 'farmers smock' dress, ss 1986By John GallianoLocated in London, GBJohn Galliano cream knitted silk 'farmer's smock' dress from the 'Fallen Angels' collection Spring-Summer 1986Category
1980s British Day Dresses
- Comme des Garcons Homme Plus brown wool knitted v-neck sweater dress, A / W 1995By Comme des GarçonsLocated in London, GBAutumn-Winter 1995Category
1990s Japanese Day Dresses
- Vivienne Westwood blue and white floral print roll-neck dress, fw 1996By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GBVivienne Westwood blue and white floral print long-sleeved roll-neck below-the-knee dress Fall-Winter 1996Category
1990s British Casual Dresses
- Vivienne Westwood black and white striped cotton gathered dress, ss 1996By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GB▪ Vivienne Westwood lightweight cotton sundress ▪ White brush stroke striped print with black base ▪ 17th-century inspired virago sleeves with side slits ▪ Multiple drawstring fas...Category
1990s British Day Dresses
- Yves Saint Laurent Purple Cotton DressBy Yves Saint LaurentLocated in Scottsdale, AZSay hello to this adorable YSL dress! Circa 1980s for Saks Fifth Ave, this cotton dress features a square neckline, princess seam bodice and puff sleeves with large silver buttons down the side. Zipper closure on the back. Dress is marked a size 6, runs very small. Adorable and timeless, this dress would pair perfectly with a funky pair of vintage boots...Category
1980s French Day Dresses
- Dolce & Gabbana Purple Silk Chiffon Gathered Dress MBy Dolce & GabbanaLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2A purple wonder from the house of Dolce & Gabbana, this dress is a buy you will love. The dress exhibits a standout design and serves well for special occasions. It is tailored into ...Category
2010s Italian Day Dresses
- Temperley Purple Satin Ruffled Cold Shoulder Belted Faux Wrap Midi Dress MLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Make room in your closet for this creation from Temperley. Designed to offer a fashionable look, it has a faux wrap design, ruffle trims, a belt detail, and a midi hemline. This cold...Category
2010s English Casual Dresses
- HERVE LEGER blue & pink OPEN BACK JACQUARD Dress SBy Herve LégerLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic Herve Leger bandage dress in blue and pink rayon (90%), nylon (9%) and spandex (1%). Features an open back. Opens with a zipper and a hook on the back and a hook at th...Category
2010s Casual Dresses
- Jean Paul Gaultier Soleil S/S 1999 Sea Life Print Bodycon Zipper Mesh Maxi DressBy Jean Paul Gaultier SoleilLocated in Naples, FLJean Paul Gaultier Soleil S/S 1999 Sea Life Print Bodycon Zipper Mesh Maxi Dress Size LCategory
1990s Day Dresses
- Jean Paul Gaultier S/S 2007 Cutout Bodycon Maxi DressBy Jean Paul GaultierLocated in Naples, FLJean Paul Gaultier S/S 2007 Cutout Bodycon Maxi Dress Size L Please note this dress is very versatile and could be worn with the cutouts in front or back...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Day Dresses
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
How the Chanel Jacket Forever Changed What Women Wear
The classic tweed garment has been a wardrobe staple of chic women around the world since the 1950s.
Remembering Fashion Designer, Collector and Supreme Tastemaker Karl Lagerfeld
The creative force behind brands like Chanel, Fendi and Chloé was as exacting in his interiors as he was in his clothing designs.