Karl Lagerfeld was undeniably one of the kings of fashion until his death in 2019, but who was he romantically involved with?
Karl Lagerfeld never officially came out as gay or bisexual, but was apparently in a relationship with socialite Jacques de Bascher, until Jacques’ death in 1989 from complications from AIDS.
Both his mother and Jacque are buried in a chapel which is in the grounds of a home that Lagerfeld owned, although Lagerfeld reportedly stopped going there after their deaths. He sold the home in 2000.
Karl and Jacques had a very close relationship from the early 70s and were intimate for well over a decade.
The couple were never married, same-sex marriage was illegal in France until 2013.
Rather strangely Lagerfeld did say that he once wanted to marry his cat if it were legal. The cat was named Choupette.
In the past, the designer admitted employing the services of “high-class” escorts in an interview with Vice Magazine. He also said that admired porn actors.
Against gay marriage?
In the interview he also said he was against gay marriage saying, “I’m against it for a very simple reason: In the 60s they all said we had the right to the difference. And now, suddenly, they want a bourgeois life.
‘”When I was a child I asked my mother what homosexuality was about and she said – and this was 100 years ago in Germany and she was very open-minded – ‘It’s like hair colour. It’s nothing. Some people are blond and some people have dark hair. It’s not a subject.’ This was a very healthy attitude”.