Chanel’s creative director Karl Lagerfeld has died at the age of 85.
The news was first reported by Paris Match with another French outlet, Pure People, later adding that the designer had been taken ill in Paris on Monday.
A post on his fashion brand’s Instagram then confirmed that he died on Tuesday morning.
“He was one of the most influential and celebrated designers of the 21st century and an iconic, universal symbol of style,” it read. “Driven by a phenomenal sense of creativity, Karl was passionate, powerful and intensely curious.
“He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as one of the greatest designers of our time, and there are no words to express how much he will be missed.”
The designer prompted health concerns in January, when he missed Chanel’s Paris haute couture shows, with another of the brand’s directors stepping in for him.
Prior to that, he made a public appearance in late November to switch on the Christmas lights on the Champs-Elysées.
Karl took over as Chanel’s creative director in 1983 and he held the same role at Fendi.
Bernard Arnault, chairman of the company which owns Fendi, paid tribute on Tuesday morning, stating “we have lost a creative genius who helped to make Paris the fashion capital of the world”.
“We owe him a great deal: his taste and talent were the most exceptional I have ever known,” he added.
“The death of this dear friend deeply saddens me, my wife and my children. We loved and admired him deeply. Fashion and culture has lost a great inspiration.”
His illustrious fashion career began in the early 1950s, when he started working as an assistant to Pierre Balmain.
After stints at various fashion houses, he started working for Chloe in 1964, and collaborating with Fendi a year later.
While at the helm of Chanel, he’s also designed costumes and stage outfits for megastars including Madonna and Kylie Minogue. In 2004, he lent his name and design skills to a collection for H&M.
His Chanel clothes have been worn by countless A-list celebs, including Cameron Diaz, Beyoncé and Emma Watson.