Who Is He? The "Met Gala" Icon Karl Lagerfeld And How He Was Influential In Shaping BLACKPINK Jennie's Career

BLACKPINK‘s Jennie is one of the main style icons of today. As proof, she was invited to the coveted Met Gala, an annual fundraiser that doubles as a fashion show for the rich and famous.

Who is Karl Lagerfeld?

The theme of this year’s event was “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.” It is unique insofar as the gala honored a person and not an idea such as previous years’ “camp,” “rock,” “goddess,” and other similar concepts.

Lagerfeld is one of the top designers of the century. Born in Germany in 1933, he worked as a fashion designer with luxury brands Chloé and Valentino. Fendi then hired him in 1967 as a consultant director before he made his name as Chanel‘s creative director from 1983 until 2019.

Who is Karl Lagerfeld to BLACKPINK’s Jennie?

Karl Lagerfeld and BLACKPINK’s Jennie are connected through Chanel. The latter was, in fact, one of his last handpicked muses.

As one of Karl Lagerfeld’s last handpicked muses for the house of @Chanel, Jennie Kim is a welcome presence on the 2023 #MetGal red carpet, which honors the late designer. https://t.co/dtF96GB6II pic.twitter.com/fyUjnq3QaF

— Vogue Runway (@VogueRunway) May 2, 2023

She became the muse of Chanel Beauty in 2017 and a Chanel house ambassador in 2019 while he was the creative director. Lagerfeld passed away that year, leaving her as one of the last celebrities he picked to represent the brand.

Chanel Korea mentioned early on that Jennie’s image fit their goal to become a relevant name in the minds of modern fashion enthusiasts.

Chanel aims for modernity. Young and trendy millennials are our target customers…we are very interested in stylish K-pop stars. Jennie’s loyalty to the brand as well as her trendy style matches well with Chanel’s image.

— Chanel

What Is Jennie’s Relationship With Chanel?

Jennie and Chanel go hand-in-hand. The former is often dubbed a “Human Chanel” thanks to her perfect embodiment of their elegant and luxurious image.

She was offered front row seats to Paris Fashion Week, modeled their latest designs, donned custom pieces in and out of the stage, and was given other opportunities reserved for her.

Many times when she is praised online for her top tier fashion sense, she is wearing a Chanel piece. After her success with them, Jennie also became the face of several other brands such as Calvin Klein, GENTLE MONSTER, Tamburins, and many more.

Jennie for GENTLE MONSTER | *@jennierubyjane/Instagram*

How Did Jennie Honor Karl Lagerfeld?

BLACKPINK’s Jennie remembered the iconic fashion designer through her outfit at the 2023 Met Gala. She wore a couture piece from the 1990 Chanel Fall/Winter Ready-to-Wear show, a dress designed by Karl Lagerfeld himself.

It was a look that was particularly special because of how involved the brand was in making it, proving that she is a special part of the Chanel family.