Boxy black sunglasses, sharp tailoring and bright white ponytail: Karl Lagerfeld’s iconic look – and life – is being brought to our screens in a six-episode drama series about the famed fashion designer for Disney+. 

From the producers of hit Netflix series Lupin, this will be the first show to focus on the man at the helm of fashion house Chanel for over three decades, following a number of documentaries on his career and legacy.  And if it’s going to give us anything like House of Gucci’s high glamour and drama, we’re all in.

As Deadline reports, the story of Kaiser Karl begins in the summer of 1972 and traces Lagerfeld’s quest to become successor of Coco Chanel, who died the year prior, and the most successful French couturier at a time when Yves Saint Laurent was the biggest fashion personality. The rivalry between Lagerfeld and Pierre Bergé (Yves Saint Laurent’s partner) as well as Lagerfeld’s love story with Jacques de Bascher will also be central to the series.

“More than a period piece, Kaiser Karl will delve into Lagerfeld’s world and his personality – a character who, while quite famous, cultivated and maintained an air of intense mystery. It will shine a light on the high-end fashion houses of the 70s as well as how Lagerfeld built his unique and sometimes controversial personal brand in a world where appearances are everything.”

The six-part series will feature a stellar cast that includes Daniel Brühl as Lagerfeld himself; Théodore Pellerin as Jacques de Bascher; Arnaud Valois as Yves Saint Laurent; Alex Lutz as Pierre Bergé; and Agnès Jaoui as Gaby Aghion, the founder of the Chloé brand, who helped elevate Lagerfeld.

Despite being beloved by much of high fashion’s elite, including Cara Delevinge, Anna Wintour, Karlie Kloss and Rihanna, Lagerfeld, who passed away in 2019, was repeatedly accused of being fatphobic, Islamophobic, racist and of opposing the #MeToo movement. 

The extent to which the series will explore this, of course, remains to be seen.

Kaiser Karl is still in production, filming in Italy, France and Monaco, so we doubt we’ll be watching Lagerfeld come to life on our screens any time soon. But we’ll keep you updated with any details as soon as they are available.

Images: Getty