The immortal legacy of Karl Lagerfeld, the fashion industry icon, is set to be turned into a feature film by American actor and producer Jared Leto.
His demise back in 2019, put an end to his six-decade-long career and shook the fashion industry to its core. Certainly, Karl Lagerfeld is a name the fashion industry will never forget.
The film will be produced by Paradox, a production company owned by Jared Leto and Emma Ludbrook and Leto is to play the designer himself.
This is not the first time that Maison Karl Lagerfeld has been approached with a biopic pitch but it’s the first time the house felt that someone will be able to truly deliver the iconic life of Lagerfeld both artistically and truthfully.
Leto once, reportedly, on meeting Karl Lagerfeld had told him that he had to play him in a movie and Lagerfeld had approved of the idea by replying, “Only you, darling, only you.”
“I feel like this is a full-circle moment and Karl would be proud of what we are doing,” Leto told WWD.
Leto saw Karl Lagerfeld as a kind man and an inspiration, and hopes to deliver “a respectful ode to Karl while pushing the artistic boundaries of what a biopic can be.”
No stranger to the fashion world, Leto has been in close association with Gucci for the last seven years and even attended the Met Gala, last year, as Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele’s twin plus-one.
Leto also shares a close friendship with Alessandro who also worked with Karl for several years in Fendi.
A trailblazing creative for not just one brand but several luxury houses and his own label Karl Lagerfeld, the German designer’s work is also to be the theme for next year’s Met Gala, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.”
How Will More Than 50 Years of Karl Lagerfeld Fit in a Movie?
Leto has approached the three most important people in Karl Lagerfeld’s life to help show the “key relationships in Karl Lagerfeld’s life, told through an unpredictable lens.”
These said important people are Pier Paolo Righi, Caroline Lebar, and Sebastien Jondeau who will also play the roles of Executive Producers for the film.
Pier Paolo Righi, since 2011 has been the chief executive officer of the designer’s own label, Karl Lagerfeld.
Sébastien Jondeau worked as the designer’s personal assistant and bodyguard and is now a Styling Consultant at Karl Lagerfeld. He also wrote a book last year which also talked in detail about Lagerfeld’s battle with cancer which ultimately led to his passing away.
Finally, Caroline Lebar for more than 35 years advised Karl on press matters and also worked as his image and communications VP.
“My role is to portray him on screen as honestly as possible,” Leto was quoted as saying.
He also expressed his gratitude towards Righi, Jondeau, Lebar, and everyone else from Karl’s life for giving him this opportunity, “I’m grateful to be doing this with an outstanding group of people who were incredibly close to Karl for many years of his life.”
Read More: Met Gala 2024; An Ode To Lagerfeld
