Line of BEAUTY

How a glossy drama explores a style icon's rise to fame

- REBECCA MAHONEY

Known for his cutting bon mots and a beloved cat that had two maids, Karl Lagerfeld was one of the most flamboyant and recognisable designers in the world.

But beneath the signature dark sunglasses, stiff collars and powdered-white ponytail, who exactly was the so-called ‘Emperor of Fashion’?

Launching on Disney+ this week, new French drama Becoming Karl Lagerfeld will trace the rise of the German couturier, who helmed Chanel, Fendi and his own brand before his death in 2019, aged 85.

Adapted from the book Kaiser Karl by Raphaëlle Bacqué, the six-part series opens in 1972, when 38-year-old Karl (played by Daniel Brühl) is working as a relatively unknown readyto-wear designer.

MATTERS OF THE HEART

His ambitions soon soar, however, when he meets and falls for charming dandy Jacques de Bascher (Théodore Pellerin), who gives him the confidence to go up against the great fashion giants, including his old friend Yves Saint Laurent (Arnaud Valois).

But when Yves also becomes enamoured with Jacques and the pair embark upon an affair, Karl is locked in a love triangle that could cause his career to fall apart at the seams.