「時尚老佛爺」卡爾拉格斐（Karl Lagerfeld）19日在巴黎逝世，享壽85歲，今日（20）CHANEL引用卡爾拉格斐的話，正式發布聲明。
CHANEL沉痛證實品牌創意總監卡爾拉格斐的逝世，他承接並重新打造Gabrielle Chanel開創的品牌，卡爾拉格斐曾說，他的職責並非重複Chanel的作品，而使延續風格，秉持這個原則實現在許多面向。
有著源源不絕的創造力，卡爾拉格斐在藝術創作方面也有涉獵，包括攝影及短片製作，CHANEL自1987年以來的服飾品牌形象廣告，皆倚重他的攝影才華。
對CHANEL首席執行長Alain Wertheimer來說，他不僅失去一位朋友，也失去為品牌帶來全面重啟的卓越創意人才；服飾名品部總裁Bruno Pavlovsky表示，卡爾拉格斐的傳奇與品牌的歷史上，都留下屬於他的印記，而目前所能付出最大的敬意，就是延續他的道路，「想要創造未來，就必須重視現在（continuing to embrace the present and invent the future）」。
CHANEL聲明全文
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 creative individual, Karl Lagerfeld reinvented the brand’s codes created by Gabrielle Chanel: the CHANEL jacket and suit, the little black dress, the precious tweeds, the two-tone shoes, the quilted handbags, the pearls and costume jewelry. Regarding Gabrielle Chanel, he said, “My job is not to do what she did, but what she would have done. The good thing about Chanel is it is an idea you can adapt to many things.”
A prolific creative mind with endless imagination, Karl Lagerfeld explored many artistic horizons, including photography and short films. The House of CHANEL benefited from his talent for all the branding campaigns related to Fashion since 1987. Finally, one cannot refer to Karl Lagerfeld without mentioning his innate sense of repartee and self-mockery.
Alain Wertheimer, CEO of CHANEL, said: “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. 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.”
Bruno Pavlovsky, President of Fashion at CHANEL, said: “Fashion show after fashion show, collection after collection, Karl Lagerfeld left his mark on the legend of Gabrielle Chanel and the history of the House of CHANEL. He steadfastly promoted the talent and expertise of CHANEL’s ateliers and Métiers d’Art, allowing this exceptional know-how to shine throughout the world. The greatest tribute we can pay today is to continue to follow the path he traced by – to quote Karl – ‘continuing to embrace the present and invent the future’.”
Virginie Viard, Director of CHANEL’s Fashion Creation Studio and Karl Lagerfeld’s closest collaborator for more than 30 years, has been entrusted by Alain Wertheimer with the creative work for the collections, so that the legacy of Gabrielle Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld can live on.
The House of CHANEL offers his family, relatives and friends its deepest condolences.
