Karl Lagerfeld, creative designer of Chanel for 36 years, died in Paris on Tuesday, February 21, 2019. He was 85 years old at the time of his death.

Lagerfeld served as the creative director for Chanel for 36 years. This was wildly unusual as most designers are only given a maximum of three years to make a design work. Lagerfeld, however, defied the odds. He revived Chanel after taking the reins in 1983 and reinterpreted the tweed skirt suits, quilted handbags and little black dresses that had made the brand famous through a variety of lenses including hip-hop and California surfers.

In addition to reviving the clothing of Chanel, Lagerfeld became known for his lavish Grand Palais sets he conceived of for Chanel’s six annual collections. The most memorable were probably either the Spring 2012 show when Florence Welch sang on the half-shell or when he had a giant iceberg shipped from Scandinavia for the Fall 2010 show. Among his other sets were a rocket ship, a supermarket stocked solely with Chanel products and a reproduction of the Eiffel Tower. Lagerfeld also took his ideas on the road and pioneered the concept of a traveling pre-season show. The so-called Karl caravan made trips to Versailles, France; West Lothian, Scotland; Dallas, Texas; Seoul, South Korea and Havana, Cuba.

In addition to being the successor to the famous Coco Chanel, Lagerfeld also served as the creative director for Fendi’s fur and ready-to-wear pieces starting in 1965. Prior to this, he also served as the head designer at Jean Patou and won the International Wool Secretariat in the coat category at the age of 21. He also launched the Metiers d’Art concept in 2002, and there are now 26 maisons including Lesage, Lemarie and Goossens.

Lagerfeld is certainly a superstar in the fashion world, and it will miss him terribly. The show, however, must go on. The name of his inevitable successor was rumored and debated for some time, but Chanel announced that his right hand woman, Virginie Viard, would take over the creative work Lagerfeld left unfinished. Only time will tell if she can fill the shoes Lagerfeld left behind.