The designer died in Paris on Tuesday at the age of 85. The cause of his death is unclear.
Throughout his nearly 65-year career, the German-born designer made a major impact on the fashion industry, creating revolutionary clothing lines and introducing new models to the world.
From his first design created for Balmain, to his most recent work with models like Bella Hadid, here are 12 ways that Lagerfeld changed the world of fashion forever.
Lagerfeld entered the fashion industry after winning a design contest in 1954.
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Lagerfeld was 17 years old when he entered The Fashion Design Competition, a contest held by the International Wool Association.
He went on to prove that making a name for yourself in the fashion industry requires years of hard work.
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After working alongside Balmain, Lagerfeld gained even more experience in the industry by working as the art director for designer Jean Patou.
But he wasnt afraid to take some risks and leave major designers when he felt he needed to.
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Lagerfeld has largely influenced the designs of Fendi since 1965.
He was originally hired by the luxury brand to work on the company's fur designs.
In 1975, Lagerfeld became the first fashion designer to create a perfume without having his own fragrance label.
Of course, Lagerfeld wasn't the first to introduce perfume to the fashion world. The connection can actually be traced back as far as 1921, when Coco Chanel released her first scent, Chanel No. 5.
But what makes Lagerfeld stand out is that, unlike designers who worked under the name of a large brand, he became the first to attach his full name to the product.
After being named Chanels art director in 1983, Lagerfeld saved the fashion house from a financial collapse.
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At the time, fashion fanatics were starting to turn away from the classic brand in favor of more modern looks and designers. Especially after Coco Chanel died in 1971, the company was heading towards a fate of brands like Balenciaga, who started to fail once their founders were no longer in place.
But Lagerfeld was determined to change that.
The designer tackled the challenge by taking Chanels classic pieces and modernizing them.
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Lagerfeld also famously shifted the brands focus from fragrances to fashion.
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"When I took on Chanel, it was a sleeping beauty. Not even a beautiful one. She snored," Lagerfeld said in a 2007 documentary called "Lagerfeld Confidential."
The famous Chanel monogram likely wouldnt exist if it werent for Lagerfeld.
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Today, many Chanel designs are emblazoned with two interlocking letters: "CC."
In addition to his work as a designer, Lagerfeld was also a highly-regarded fashion photographer.
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By 1987, Lagerfeld was spending nearly as much time working behind cameras as he was behind a desk creating designs.
Not only did the designer shoot his own fashion campaigns, but he also published his photographs in books such as "Off the Record."
Lagerfeld became the first designer to collaborate with H&M.
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The entire line sold out in minutes, and led H&M to collaborate with a variety of other designers including Balmain and Moschinoin following years.
Many of the worlds most famous models can attribute at least some of their success to Lagerfeld.
In more recent years, the designer continued to take people under his wing and give them spots in their first-ever Chanel fashion shows, including Cara Delevingne and Bella Hadid.
