German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld was BOTD in 1933. Born to a prosperous industrialist family in Hamburg, he grew up during World War Two, though was largely shielded from poverty due to his father’s business interests. He moved to Paris in 1953, winning a design competition that launched his career. He apprenticed with Pierre Balmain and became artistic director for Jean Patou. In 1967, he was hired by Fendi to modernise their fur line, working with them until his death. He became a superstar as head designer for Chloé, dominating 1970s fashion by eliminating linings, padding and hemming in garments, making them simpler and easier to wear. He made a complete about-face in 1978, moving towards heavily constructed, faux military power suits that became signature looks of the 1980s. He assumed control of Chanel in 1983, reviving the fashion house’s fortunes by adding shoulder pads, tightening and shortening skirts to above the knee, and adding the interlocked “CC” monograph as a style pattern. He also launched his own fashion line in 2006. Openly gay since forever, Lagerfeld had a brief affair with Yves Saint-Laurent, with whom he had a long-standing professional rivalry. He had an 18-year relationship with model Jacques de Bascher until the latter’s death from an AIDS-related illness in 1989. After de Bascher’s death, he reportedly lived alone in his Paris apartment with a Siamese cat named Choupette, declaring “I don’t want to be real in other people’s lives. I want to be an apparition.” In 2001, he achieved his goal by drastically losing weight, adopting a terrifying signature style of wig-like white hair, black sunglasses, fingerless gloves and high starched collars, offsetting his orange Permatan. His continued promotion of fur and blunt criticism of fat people often caused controversy. He died in 2019, aged 85. He was played by Daniel Brühl in the 2024 TV drama series Becoming Karl Lagerfeld.