While some may say that André Leon Talley was more of a companion than a muse, he still fits the bill. According to their memoir, “The Chiffon Trenches”, the two met by chance in 1975 in New York, and struck up a friendship that lasted decades until they got into a fight. Lagerfeld, like many others, was impressed by Talley's knowledge of the history of fashion and often made custom Chanel couture pieces for him, some of which were auctioned at the estate sale “The André Leon Talley Collection”. Before marrying Russell Simmons and launching her Baby Phat clothing line, Kimora Lee Simmons was a promising model.
She made history when she signed an exclusive contract with Chanel at age 13 and is still the youngest Chanel Haute Couture bride of all time (it's tradition that the last look in a haute couture collection is a wedding dress). Ahead of this year's Met Gala, the fashion industry is remembering Karl Lagerfeld and his unprecedented impact on fashion history.
