1980s Karl Lagerfeld Royal Purple Double Knit Wool Body-Con Dress w Back Buttons
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 6-8 (US)
- Style:Body-Conscious (In the Style Of)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Gresham, OR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU503469151
Karl Lagerfeld
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.” During his five-decade career designing shoes, handbags, evening dresses and other items 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. He 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, Lagerfeld 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, he 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 1984 Lagerfeld was handed the reins at Chanel, which had been gathering dust since its founder’s heyday. From his first collection, Lagerfeld injected the venerable house with a frisson of modernity. He riffed on its iconography — tweed skirt suits, pearls, camellias — accenting a lexicon of Chanel-isms with tastes of the moment. 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.
Lagerfeld’s collections for Chanel, in particular, 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), Lagerfeld used each season’s inspiration to conceive Chanel’s signatures anew.
Browse a collection of sophisticated designs by Karl Lagerfeld on 1stDibs, including evening gowns for Chanel, vintage cocktail dresses for Chloé and more.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Gresham, OR
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
- 1970s La Mendola Silk Jersey and Chiffon Abstract Peacock Print Cocktail DressBy La MendolaLocated in Gresham, ORA fabulous 1970s La Mendola silk jersey and chiffon abstract peacock print cocktail dress with sheer balloon sleeves and button cuffs. Matching original belt with gold-tone buckle i...Category
1970s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- 1970s Emilio Pucci Silk Jersey Floral Print Wrap Dress w Full Skirt & Band TrimBy Emilio PucciLocated in Gresham, OR1970s Emilio Pucci Silk Jersey Floral Print Faux-Wrap Dress w Full Skirt & Banded Hem and Sleeve Trim: An unusual print in pale pink with stylized gladiolas in turquoise, purple and ...Category
1970s Italian Day Dresses
- 1970s-Style Crochet Halter Dress W/ Daisy Embroidered Linen Handkerchief HemBy Torso CreationsLocated in Gresham, OR1970s-s crochet halter dress with daisy embroidered linen handkerchief hem. Bustline and neck are hand-crochet. Three buttons at back of neck and E...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Empire Waist Dresses
- 1980 Pauline Trigere Red Silk Taffeta & Black Lace Overlay Cocktail DressBy Pauline TrigèreLocated in Gresham, ORA beautiful and dramatic 1980s Pauline Trigere red silk taffeta cocktail dress with gorgeous black lace overlay: Puff-sleeved with a black velvet belt tied at center front, this bold...Category
1980s American Cocktail Dresses
- 1940s Chartreuse Rayon Crepe Print Swing Dress w/ Draped Hip & Cummerbund WaistLocated in Gresham, ORA beautiful 1940s Marian McCoy chartreuse and cream abstract print coral/floral rayon crepe dress with draped hip detail, separate cummerbund belted waist, short sleeved drop shoulde...Category
1940s American Cocktail Dresses
- Late 1940s Nat Tuman Cobalt Blue Rayon "Gondola" Print Day Dress w Full HemlineLocated in Gresham, ORLate 1940s Nat Tuman Cobalt Blue Rayon "Gondola" Print Day Dress w Full Hemline: Ruched form-fitting bodice with covered buttons down center front. Side zipper. Tie gathered shoulder...Category
1940s American Informal Dresses
- Jean Paul Gaultier 1997 Fashion & Culture Japanese Tattoo Maxi DressBy Jean Paul GaultierLocated in PARIS, FRJean Paul Gaultier 1997 Fashion & Culture Japanese Tattoo Maxi Dress Jean Paul Gaultier JPG 1997 Fashion & Culture Jean's 90s Vintage Japanese Tattoo...Category
1990s French Maxi Dresses
- Gianfranco Ferre Tunic DressBy Gianfranco FerréLocated in Waterford, MIPurple Tunic dress. Double layer on back. Mandarin collar. Front buttons. Side pockets. Shoulder pads. Wool. Lined. Made in France. *Condition: Great vi...Category
1980s Day Dresses
- 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
- 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
- Vintage Leonard Paris Jewelry Motif Silk Jersey Mikado Belted Wrap DressBy LeonardLocated in Oakland, CAThis is a vintage Leonard Studio wrap dress in blue silk jersey mikado. Made in Italy. This appears to be 1980s era. The dress is tagged size 2. This ...Category
1980s Italian Tunics and Wrap Dresses