The man behind the mask
If you know fashion, you know the vibe: white ponytail, black leather gloves, and shades that basically never came off. Karl Lagerfeld was the ultimate fashion enigma. From building a literal Chanel supermarket on a runway to running three major labels well into his 80s, the man was a certified workaholic and a total legend. But a new documentary from director Nick Hooker, based on William Middleton’s biography Paradise Now, asks the question: who was he really?
Not your average bio
Hooker managed to get into the designer's inner circle, chatting with icons like Tilda Swinton and Penélope Cruz. But real talk? The A-listers mostly just offer platitudes. The tea is actually much hotter when you listen to his longtime collaborators. Amanda Harlech, his right-hand woman at Chanel, gives the most insight, and it's honestly sweet to hear from his staff—some of whom worked with him for decades—who describe him as the "crème de la crème of men."
The trauma and the talent
The film touches on his difficult upbringing in Germany with a distant mother, which seems to have given him a permanent "no" to intimacy. We also see his rise in Paris, his massive success reviving Chanel in the 80s, and the heartbreaking loss of his partner, Jacques de Bascher, in 1989. Even with all this, the man himself remains an unsolvable puzzle. He even admits in the film that he played a character for so long that his closest friends didn't really know him. It’s giving main character energy, but make it isolating.
Why it matters
Lagerfeld was a cultural force who redefined what luxury meant for the modern era. While this documentary is a solid, respectful look at his life, it serves as a reminder that even the biggest stars are often just hiding behind their own carefully curated aesthetic. If you’re looking to understand the genius behind the Chanel logo, it’s a good watch, but don't expect to have all your questions answered.
