Sotheby’s x Karl Lagerfeld: The Last Act of a Fashion Legend
It is a final page in the history of fashion that is being written under the hammer of Sotheby's Paris.
From January 24 to 31, the famous auction house Sotheby's is offering a unique opportunity to discover the final chapter in the sale of Karl Lagerfeld 's personal collection. Entitled KARL, Karl Lagerfeld's Estate V: The Studio , this fifth and final online sale opens the doors to a world that is at once intimate, extravagant and resolutely visionary. Drawings, sketches, personal effects and clothing: all unique pieces that celebrate the polymorphic genius of this architect of fashion.
A dive into the mind of the creator
Sotheby’s does not only offer objects, but a total immersion in the imagination of a man who shaped the luxury industry. Karl Lagerfeld, the master of contrasts, leaves us here a fascinating anthology of his life. Behind his iconic glasses and his modern dandy look is revealed an insatiable mind: designer, photographer, writer, thinker, and collector.
The pre-exhibition, in the heart of Paris, at 83 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, will allow visitors to discover this exceptional selection before it flies off the shelves at auction. Each piece is a key to understanding the man behind the myth : from the dazzling sketches made with felt-tip pens or Tippex, to the handwritten letters that tell fragments of his personal life, to the clothes and accessories that testify to his unique style.
An invaluable graphic heritage
At the heart of this sale, Lagerfeld's sketches and drawings captivate with their spontaneity and virtuosity. True works of art, these sketches reveal the creative impulse of a visionary always in dialogue with the spirit of the times. By turns romantic, avant-garde or imbued with a piquant humor , these works highlight the absolute aesthete that he was, where each line translated an idea, a vision, a world.
Touches of watercolor, bright plays of color with felt-tip pens, and nuances sometimes sketched with products as unexpected as eye shadow: Lagerfeld constantly pushed the boundaries, even in the simplest means of expression.
The intimacy of a timeless creator
Beyond fashion, this sale tells a deeply human story. Lagerfeld ’s personal objects—his musical instruments, his scribbled postcards, and his meticulously compiled albums—show us a sensitive man, passionate about detail and the stories he knew how to capture. We literally enter his emblematic residences, where the old and the new coexisted with audacity and elegance.
An exhibition not to be missed
For art and fashion enthusiasts, this exhibition is a rare opportunity to explore the final chapter in the life of one of the greatest couturiers of all time. It reveals the man who revolutionized Chanel, dazzled Fendi, enchanted Chloé, and left his mark on his own house with a style that is instantly recognizable.
Karl Lagerfeld has always been one step ahead. With this exceptional sale, Sotheby’s offers us a final encounter with this visionary spirit. A unique opportunity to acquire a fragment of his universe, as a tribute to the man who redefined fashion, and beyond.
Practical information:
- Public exhibition : from January 24 to 31, 2025, at 83 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris.
- Online sale : available on the official Sotheby's website.
- Closing of the sale : January 31, 2025.
