“Fashion is ephemeral, dangerous and unfair.” – Karl Lagerfeld

“An intimate portrait of the designer who has ruled the House of Chanel for more than two decades…
an imperial figure if ever there was one. (Lagerfeld) exudes a papal grandeur….a mixture of eccentricity
and severity. (He) resembles a man of the cloth, ‘a defrocked one,’ he says matter-of-factly.”
– Stephen Holden, The New York Times

“Lagerfeld as a surprisingly affable on-camera demeanor and a charming, offbeat sense of humor.”
– Danica Lo and Raakhee Mirchandani, New York Post

“Filmmaker Rodolphe Marconi offers a rare glimpse into the world of one of fashion’s most fascinating figures.”
– Jenna Gabrial Gallagher, Harper’s Bazaar

“A journey into the creative mind of this eccentric and iconic designer.”
– Patrick Huguenin, DailyNews.com

“Flashy, dazzling… (this) impressionistic documentary of fashion artist, costume designer and photographer
Karl Lagerfeld, provides a relatively unvarnished examination of his reptilian charm, talent, and genius for promotion…
It exerts an undeniable fascination that suggests a tantalizing synthesis of Bruce Weber’s study of Chet Baker,
LET’S GET LOST, and Douglas Keeve’s portrait of Isaac Mizrahi, UNZIPPED.”
– Patrick Z. McGavin, Screen International

“I don’t want to be a reality in people’s lives. I want to be like an apparition.” – Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld, the man who transformed the House of Chanel from an elegant, but stuffy couture has-been into a super sexy 21st century fashion powerhouse. Lagerfeld’s look is iconographic: snow-white ponytail, huge sunglasses and pinstriped suits with Edwardian collars, heavily accessorized with chains and enough silver rings to do some serious damage with just a handshake. The film profiles Lagerfeld the designer (his brands have included Karl Lagerfeld, Fendi and Chloé), photographer, bibliophile, weight-loss expert, marketing genius and star. It captures a world of serious diamond-encrusted glamour in which beauty and imagination air-kiss money and power, with a ruthless commitment to being in the moment.

Trailer for Last Year at Marienbad (opening January 18), with gowns designed by Chanel founder Coco Chanel.

France • 2007 • 89 Minutes • In French with English Subtitles • Koch Lorber Films