The Unforgettable Karl Lagerfeld, In His Own Words

On Tuesday, news broke that Karl Lagerfeld died in Paris at the age of 85. The revered designer was a rare industry mainstay — serving as Chanel's creative director since 1983, while also working at Fendi as the creative director of furs and ready-to-wear.

“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," Bruno Pavlovsky, the brand's president of fashion, told WWD. "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.’”

But this pop cultural icon engaged himself in so much more than clothes. Always outspoken and always entertaining, Lagerfeld never shied away from sharing his wit and unique outlook in interviews throughout his long and storied career.

Ahead, we recount some of the designer's more memorable and talked-about interview soundbites. And because Lagerfeld has had many looks of his own throughout his lifetime, we remember those, too.