Karl Lagerfeld: A Life in Fashion – A Financial Times Book of the Year

A revelatory biography of Karl Lagerfeld, introducing readers to the public and private life of the charismatic designer Karl Lagerfeld lived a very public life. He shaped the Chanel and Fendi brands for decades, and his wit and wisdom amused and informed the world. Yet despite a massively public persona, his hinterland remained unknown. What is the truth behind this larger-than-life but enigmatic figure? The journalist and fashion specialist Alfons Kaiser met Lagerfeld on numerous occasions. He has now written the first authoritative biography on this fascinating character, whose life has always been marked by elements of secrecy. From his parents’ links with the Nazi regime to Lagerfeld’s last days in the company of only his closest friends, this book – the result of unprecedented archival and field work – divulges all the facets of a passionate artist and workaholic: the precocious boy who preferred to draw in the attic rather than play with his peers; the son who quarrelled with his parents but never got away from them; the competitor of Yves Saint Laurent, whom he outshone in the end; the brother, uncle, friend; and finally, the partner of Jacques de Bascher, the great love of his life.

'A must-have for every aficionado!' - Vogue, 'Kaiser sketches beautifully a picture of how an unsociable boy who loved to draw in the attic grew into Yves Saint Laurent’s competitor … Especially touching is the detail about his partner and great love, Jacques de Bascher, a subject that has barely been touched on in print until now' - Times LUXX, 'Aims to give a fuller account of the designer – and is complete with some brilliant black-and-white (obviously) photography of Lagerfeld throughout his life' - i newspaper, 'A satisfyingly rounded portrait of a designer who remained largely mysterious during his lifetime' - Financial Times, Books of the Year

Alfons Kaiser is an editor at German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and is responsible for the section "Germany and the World" as well as for the monthly Frankfurter Allgemeine magazine. He prefers to write about fashion.

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