The creative director for Chanel died at age 85.
It was a sad day in the world of fashion on Tuesday when news broke that legendary designer and creative director Karl Lagerfeld had died at the age of 85.
A Chanel spokesperson confirmed the news to ET early Tuesday morning, saying in a statement, “It is with deep sadness that the House of Chanel announces the passing of Karl Lagerfeld, the Creative Director for the Chanel Fashion House since 1983. An extraordinary individual, Karl Lagerfeld, reinvented the brand’s codes created by Gabrielle Chanel.”
The brand went on to call Lagerfeld "a prolific creative mind with endless imagination."
Shortly after, an outpouring of tributes from stars began on social media.
Designers Donatella Versace and Victoria Beckham were some of the first stars to comment on the loss on Instagram.
“Karl, your genius touched the lives of so many, especially Gianni and I,” Donatella wrote, referencing her late brother. "We will never forget your incredible talent and endless inspiration. We were always learning from you.”
Beckham posted a black-and-white portrait of Lagerfeld, writing, “So incredibly sad to hear this. Karl was a genius and always so kind and generous to me both personally and professionally. RIP xvb.”
Here are more celebrity tributes:
News of Lagerfeld's death comes after he missed Chanel’s haute couture show in Paris last month. He was last seen publicly in December at the Chanel show at New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
"Thanks to his creative genius, generosity and exceptional intuition, Karl Lagerfeld was ahead of his time, which widely contributed to the House of Chanel’s success throughout the world," Alain Wertheimer, CEO of Chanel, says in a statement. "Today, not only have I lost a friend, but we have all lost an extraordinary creative mind to whom I gave carte blanche in the early 1980s to reinvent the brand."
ET has reached out to Lagerfeld's reps.
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