Legendary fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld passed away two years ago today. Known for his decades-long tenure at Chanel, Lagerfeld will also be remembered for his signature personal aesthetic and endlessly quotable witticisms. In honor of his legacy on the fashion industry, here, we're taking a look back at Lagerfeld's life and career in pictures.
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1
1954
Keystone-France//Getty Images
At just 21, Karl Lagerfeld won the coat category at the Fashion Design Competition in Paris.
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2
1958
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Lagerfeld fixes the styling of a model's dress.
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3
1960
Keystone-France//Getty Images
A portrait of Lagerfeld from 1960.
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4
1974
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Lagerfeld sits at his desk in his Paris apartment.
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5
1976
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The fashion designer poses in his Paris home for a photo.
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6
1979
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Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld in his studio in Paris during spring of 1979.
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7
1979
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Lagerfeld, then the designer for Chloe, adjusts a model's look.
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8
1981
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Lagerfeld dances with Sonia Rykiel.
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9
1983
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Karl Lagerfeld fits one of his designs on Ines de la Fressange at Chloe's Paris studio.
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10
1984
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A photo of Lagerferld during his first year at Chanel, as he finishes his Haute Couture collection. This Autumn Winter collection will be shown three weeks later.
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11
1984
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Another scene from Lagerfeld's first year at Chanel.
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12
1985
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Model Jerry Hall and Karl Lagerfeld at Chanel's Spring/Summer haute couture show.
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13
1987
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Karl Lagerfeld on the runway, showing Chanel's 1988 Fall/Winter collection in Paris.
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14
1990
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Linda Evangelista, Karl Lagerfeld, and Anna Wintour at a fundraiser benefiting AIDS research.
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15
1992
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The fashion designer in a sea of press at the Chanel spring show in 1992.
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16
1993
Images Press//Getty Images
A rare smile from the designer on the runway.
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17
1995
PIERRE VERDY//Getty Images
Karl Lagerfeld appears with Cindy Crawford and other models at the Chanel Spring/Summer 1996 ready-to-wear collection presentation.
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18
1999
PIERRE VERDY//Getty Images
Another scene of Karl Lagerfeld on the runway, this time at the 1999 Spring/Summer Chanel haute couture show.
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19
2004
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Lagerfeld takes a model bride by the hand at the Chanel Spring/Summer 2005 fashion show.
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20
2007
MARTIN BUREAU//Getty Images
A shot of Lagerfeld's iconic ponytail at Chanel's Spring/Summer 2007 haute couture show.