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 Graduated Pearl Necklace
By Chanel
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Chanel long graduated pealr necklace with green mosaic gripoix flat cabochons. Can be worn single or double. One cc missing from coin. Collection spring 2015. Comes with velvet pouch.
Chanel Vintage Pearl Three Station Necklace
By Chanel
Located in Palm Beach, FL
This authentic Chanel Pearl Station Necklace is in excellent vintage condition from the early 1980’s. Three sections of faux white pearls are stationed along a gold tone wheat style...
Rare Chanel Haute Couture 1984 by Karl Lagerfeld choker bib pearl necklace
By Chanel
Located in PARIS, FR
Rare Chanel Haute Couture 1984 collection by Karl Lagerfeld choker bib pearl necklace, coin pendant with Gabrielle Chanel, 24k gold plated and Gripoix pearls. An amazing archival Cha...
Chanel Pearl-embellished double-chain necklace
By Chanel
Located in London, GB
Designing pieces that leave lasting impressions, Chanel leaves no detail overlooked. Adorned with faux pearls, this unique pre-owned chain-link necklace ...
Chanel Leather & Pearl Belt/Necklace
By Chanel
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Chanel 2001 Cruise Collection metallic gold leatherette and faux pearl belt. Gold tone metal buckle. Can be worn as a belt or a necklace. Comes with...
Chanel Pearl and Chain Necklace Summer/Spring 2012
By Chanel
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Chanel Pearl and Chain Necklace Summer/Spring 2012. In perfect condition, this necklace is a perfect statement of Chanel uniqueness and classiness. Iconic statement piece, this neckl...
Chanel Pearl & Charm Statement Necklace
By Chanel
Located in Krakow, PL
Elevate your ensemble with this truly stunning Chanel Pearl & Charm Statement Necklace! This captivating piece is in excellent, gently worn condition, incredibly well-preserved and r...
Chanel White Pearl Beaded Multi Layer Necklace
By Chanel
Located in Palm Beach, FL
An elegant and eye-catching design from the House of Chanel, this white pearl multi-layer necklace captures the essence of timeless Chanel sophistication with a bold, statement-making silhouette. Composed of multiple strands of luminous white pearls, the necklace creates a rich, layered effect that adds depth and dimension to any look. The cascading strands drape beautifully along the neckline, offering a refined yet dramatic presence ideal for both day and evening wear. Signature Chanel details—such as subtle CC logo accents or branded hardware—enhance the design while maintaining a balanced and polished aesthetic. The combination of classic pearl elements with a modern multi-layer construction reflects Chanel’s enduring ability to reinterpret timeless motifs. Designed to be worn as a statement piece, this necklace elevates even the simplest ensemble with effortless elegance. It can also be styled with other Chanel pieces for a more curated, layered look. Chanel pearl jewelry...
Chanel Collier Camélia Gripoix 1998 Fancy Pearls and Camelia Choker Necklace
By Chanel
Located in PARIS, FR
Chanel Fall/Winter 1998 collection necklace by Gripoix, a choker composed of large, irregularly shaped oval beads and a large camellia in iridescent glass paste. It fastens with a ho...
Chanel by Lagerfeld Pearl CC Logo Necklace 2014
By Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel
Located in Wilmslow, GB
A Preloved Chanel Pearl CC Logo Necklace. The quintessential pearl necklace from the House of Chanel and a keeper from the legendary tenure of Karl Lagerfeld. Exquisite attention to ...
Chanel pearl necklace
By Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
CHANEL - (Made in France) Multi-row costume pearl choker necklace. Jewelry from the late 1980s-early 1990s. Condition: Very good condition Dimensions: Length of the shorter row: fr...
Chanel necklace Haut Couture Coco era
By Chanel
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
CHANEL - Golden metal chain necklace ornamented with a rhinestoned ring, red glass-paste pearls and costume pearls. A Haute Couture Collection from the Coco era. Condition: Very goo...
Chanel pearl necklace 1994
By Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
CHANEL - (Made in France) Costume pearl necklace assembled with knots. Golden metal stick fastening. 1994 Spring-Summer Collection under the artistic direction of Karl Lagerfeld. Co...
Karl Lagerfeld pearl necklace
By Karl Lagerfeld
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
KARL LAGERFELD - (Made in France) Costume pearl necklace with a golden metal fastener. Condition: Very good condition Dimensions: Length: 42 cm SKU:BC243
Chanel pearl necklace
By Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
CHANEL - (Made in France) Three-row costume pearl necklace with a golden metal jewelry fastener ornamented with pink glass paste. A 2cc5 Collection under the artistic direction of Ka...
Gilt Metal
Chanel necklace
By Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel
Located in SAINT-OUEN-SUR-SEINE, FR
CHANEL - (Made in France) Multirow golden metal chain necklace with rhinestones and a medallion engraved with the house name. Condition: Very good condition Dimensions: Length: 43 ...
The classic tweed garment has been a wardrobe staple of chic women around the world since the 1950s.
The creative force behind brands like Chanel, Fendi and Chloé was as exacting in his interiors as he was in his clothing designs.
