From behind his dark sunglasses, with a powdery white updo and his pet cat Choupette under his arm, the late Karl Lagerfeld left an unrivalled mark on fashion. The creative power behind the modern revival of Chanel, having helmed the brand from 1983 until his death in 2019, Lagerfeld was responsible for developing cult items for new generations of Chanel wearers around the world.

He started his career as Pierre Balmain's assistant, climbing the ranks at Jean Patou, Chloé and later Fendi, where he worked for five decades. Throughout his time, the tastemaker was unwavering in his mission to create beautiful clothes to empower women while reimaging house codes.

But the storied fashion behemoths he worked at were not the only houses where Lagerfeld expressed his flair. Beyond the glimmering couture shows and iconic Chanel tweeds, Lagerfeld’s tastes unfolded within the walls of his meticulously curated homes, including properties in Paris, Rome, Brittany, Monaco, Berlin, and Biarritz.


A new book by Thames & Hudson, Karl Lagerfeld: A Life in Houses, opens the doors to 13 of Lagerfeld’s homes (not including them all!) offering a glimpse into the spaces that served as his private creative outlets. “This collection of interiors reflects the desires, circumstances and whims of its creator and reveals his character more fully than any autobiography,” pens author Patrick Mauriès in the introduction to the book.

From Lagerfeld’s elegant art deco–inspired apartment in Saint-Sulpice, Paris, to the opulent eighteenth-century mansion, Hôtel Pozzo di Borgo, each chapter is accompanied by illuminating texts by Marie Kalt, the editor-in-chief of Architectural Digest France, to unravel the history, design evolution, and the key personalities and pieces that defined each no-so-humble abode.


The homes not only reveal his personal taste but also showcase Lagerfeld as a collector. In a balancing act of old with new, Lagerfeld seamlessly transitioned from one aesthetic to another, leaving behind a trail of design excellence – closely linked to his creations for the fashion brands he worked out, which also merged tradition with innovation.

From the grandeur of his European villas to the intimate corners of his Parisian apartments Karl Lagerfeld's homes are an intimate three-dimensional testament to his pursuit of beauty, and this new book serves not only as a homage to a fashion icon but as an exploration of the many overlaps between fashion and interior brilliance.


Buy the book here…