Karl Lagerfeld’s cat Choupette is reportedly set to inherit some of the Chanel designer’s estimated $195 million fortune.
Iconic fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld died in Paris following a short illness. Rumours of Lagerfeld’s ill health had swirled for several weeks after he missed a number of events – including Chanel’s spring/summer show last month.
He died on Tuesday morning after being admitted to the hospital the night before, French media report. According to French magazine “Le Figaro,” Lagerfeld said in a past conversation that Choupette was an “heiress.”
“If something happens to me, the person who will take care of her will not be in misery,” he said in a 2015 interview.
CNBC reported Choupette is famous for living a lavish lifestyle, with Lagerfeld referring to her as a “full-time job” and hiring maids dedicated to caring for her. She has 235,000 Instagram followers and more than 50,000 followers on Twitter.
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Any inheritance Choupette receives from Lagerfeld’s estate will add to her own fortune, with Lagerfeld revealing in the past that his feline companion had earned more than $3 million from modelling jobs.
Depending on how much is bequeathed to Choupette, she could be poised to set a new record for the world’s wealthiest cat. The record is currently held by a cat named Blackie, who inherited 7 million pounds ($9.15 million) from his British owner in 1988.
He was born Karl Otto Lagerfeldt in pre-war Germany in the 1930s. Lagerfeld changed his original surname from Lagerfeld because he believed it sounded “more commercial”.
He emigrated to Paris as a young teenager, and became a design assistant for Pierre Balmain, before working at Fendi and Chloe in the 1960s.
But the designer was best known for his association with the French label Chanel. He began his long career with the fashion house in 1983, a decade after Coco Chanel died.
Lagerfeld’s designs brought new life to the label, adding glitz to the prim tweed suits the couture house was known for.
The designer worked tirelessly, simultaneously churning out collections for LVMH’s Fendi and his own label, up until his death.
He also collaborated with high street brand H&M – before high-end collaborations became more common. Lagerfeld was known to encourage new designers, like Victoria Beckham who has praised him for his kindness.