Years after their deaths, Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent are still two of the biggest names in fashion . But their intertwined history extends far beyond haute couture. German fashion designer and photographer Karl Lagerfeld spent his early career at Chloé and Fendi, but was arguably best known for being the creative driving force behind the modern revival of Chanel.
French couturier Yves Saint Laurent, on the other hand, started off as an intern at Dior, before he founded his eponymous fashion label in 1962. From an early stage, the two competed for recognition from both their peers and the press. But beyond their professional rivalry, the two creatives were embroiled in tumultuous love triangle that caused scandal among the Paris social scene at the time.
Now, thanks to a new limited drama series on Disney + and Hulu, Becoming Karl Lagerfeld, a new audience is being introduced to the wild – and very much true – story. In 1954, when Karl was 21 and Yves was 18, they entered the prestigious Paris-based design competition, International Wool Secretariat, which is now known as the International Woolmark Prize. Although Karl won first prize in the coat category, Yves took home the highest distinction in the evening gown category.
In the years that followed, Yves was hired by Christian Dior, and was then named his successor when he died in 1957. Yves was ultimately fired from Dior when he was drafted into the army three years later. His fashion career was far from ov.