Karl Lagerfeld (1933 – 2019)

Fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld died last week, from complications of pancreatic cancer.  He certainly created a unique and unforgettable style and image for his own person, as well as the creativity in his work, and continuing the line set by Coco Chanel.  In the Guardian Obituary by Veronica Horwell, she says “He had a genius for visual quotation and allusion, impersonation and pastiche”.

Birth Chart

Karl Lagerfeld had Sun in Virgo closely conjunct Mercury, indicating a great attention to detail, and some degree of critical faculties.  He was said to listen to and act on his inner voice, and that is portrayed by his Mercury conjunction with Neptune.  With Venus opposite Uranus, trine North Node in Aquarius, he had a penchant for off the wall fashion tastes, and the expression of that was part of his karmic mission.  Uranus was sextile exactly the North Node in Aquarius – he was an innovator, who liked to be on the cutting edge.  Venus was exactly square Pluto in his chart, and he claimed to have only been in love with his work, yet his emotional life (Venus) was shaped by the earl death (Pluto) of his friend Jacques de Bascher whose ashes he kept for the rest of his life.

Image

Lagerfeld was a friend and admirer of Andy Warhol, and borrowed much from his image: the pancake white face and hair, the wooden gait (Mars square exactly Saturn, in the case of Lagerfeld) and the dark glasses, trailing his entourage.  To these he added fingerless gloves and high, starched, detachable collars.  He liked to be controversial, but once stated (in 2007) that in itself was an act.  Andy Warhol had the Sun on his Ascendant in Leo, and in the absence of an Ascendant for Lagerfeld, it would be tempting to assign such a flamboyant Ascendant or Midheaven for his persona.

Life and Career

He was born in Hamburg in a family which belonged to the Old Catholic Church, but adopted France as his home country.  As a child he was fond of sketching, and later became a caricaturist.  It was an early passion for the French artists that drew him to France.  He also studied history.  He came to Paris in 1953, and got to know Yves St. Laurent and Pierre Balmain.  In 1967 he became involved with the fashion house Fendi, where he developed their fur line.  He was hired by Chanel in 1983, where he invigorated the company (Coco Chanel had died in 1971).

Jacques de Bascher

He had a relationship with Jacques de Bascher, who was also involved with Yves St. Laurent, lasting 18 years up to Bascher’s death from AIDS  in 1989.  Their astrological chemistry was considerable: his Mercury was sextile Bascher’s Sun, a mental link; his Mars was trine Bascher’s Uranus, a significant spark; his Jupiter was sextile Bascher’s Mercury, an intellectual link; his Jupiter was square Bascher’s Chiron, attempts at mutual healing; and his Neptune was sextile exactly Bascher’s Uranus, providing complexity mixed with spontaneity.

Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol was five years older than Lagerfeld.  According to Veronica Horwell, “Andy Warhol borrowed a Lagerfeld apartment as the venue for a movie, L’Amour (1973), and Lagerfeld adopted Warhol’s creed of superficiality, although behind that facade lay a wide and deep consumption of art and literature”.

In their synastry (also quite considerable), Warhol’s Mercury was sextile Lagerfeld’s Chiron in Gemini, their Venuses were exactly sextile – Lagerfeld’s in Libra, and Warhol’s in Leo (so artistic harmony), Warhol’s Mars was square exactly Lagerfeld’s Nodal Axis (there may have been contention in other areas, or karmically), Warhol’s Jupiter trined Lagerfeld’s Neptune (heightening each other’s inspiration), Warhol’s Neptune was positioned on Lagerfeld South Node, a mutual fascination probably borne out of past life karma, and finally Warhol’s Pluto sextile Lagerfeld Sun (a deep bond).

The Critic

His controversial streak and Inner Critic frequently landed him into hot water.  In 2012 he criticized the singer Adele for being too fat, and Pippa Middleton for being ugly.  Adele said she was like the majority of women, and proud to be so.  He did eventually apologize for his comments about Adele.  Adele had Neptune square her Mercury at the time (victim of dubious speech) and Uranus square her Saturn (a surprise attack on her confidence).  At the time he let loose his thoughts on Pippa Middleton Jupiter was square his Neptune (poor judgement) and Saturn on his Venus (having a misogynistic day).  Saturn was square his natal Pluto (not a good mood) too.

Death

At the time of his death this week, Saturn was trine his Sun in Virgo and Neptune opposite his natal Mercury in Virgo.

According to his wishes, his funeral will be without ceremony and his ashes will be scattered together with those of Jacques de Bascher and those of his mother.