Karl Lagerfeld

Marie Ottavi is a well-known critic who writes for the leading French daily, Liberation. Her specialty is fashion, pop culture, counterculture, lifestyles, and anything related to new modes of living. She has authored numerous written portraits of key figures in contemporary culture, and she specializes in personalities who are extraordinary, beyond norms, unclassifiable, and unique. She is also the author of a critically acclaimed biography of Jacques de Bascher published in 2017. Christiana Hills is a highly regarded literary translator. She graduated from NYU's master's program in Literary Translation and obtained a doctorate in Translation Studies at Binghamton University in New York. She specializes in contemporary literary fiction, with a particular interest in experimental works and the Oulipo. Among her recent projects are translations of Michele Audin's One Hundred Twenty One Days and Agnes Desarthe's Hunting Party. Clients for her translation work include Casterman, Didier, Les Arenes, Lunii, Nathan, Robert Laffont, Stock, and Tourbillon.

"Based on interviews with Karl Lagerfeld during the final two years of his life, alongside anecdotes from close friends and associates, Karl Lagerfeld: A Fashion History is an inside look into this famous designer’s enigmatic personality and boundless creativity. Unlike any of her other books, acclaimed author Marie Ottavi fully delves into Lagerfeld’s insatiable work ethic, witty personality, and refined cultural sensibility while uncovering his thoughtful reflections on his practice and personal relationships. This biography is a must-read for fashion enthusiasts and admirers alike, offering an honest and intimate understanding of Lagerfeld’s extraordinary legacy." — CURATED TEXAN“Of course I remember Karl Lagerfeld shopping at colette. He would come every Saturday, late afternoon. He would be curious, generous, and extremely nice with the team and any customer asking for a selfie . . . When Marie published Karl, in 2021, colette and Mr. Lagerfeld were not here anymore. They’re just a souvenir. They’re from another era. But when you read Marie Ottavi’s book, they’re alive. And each page, each quote, each story brings to life that very special time.” — SARAH ANDELMAN, cofounder of colette in Paris and founder of Just an Idea, a curating and publishing agency“Marie Ottavi’s Karl presents us with a detailed, original, and passionate account of Karl Lagerfeld’s life, personality, and extraordinary achievements. Based on rigorous research and full of new testimonies, this book is an essential contribution to our knowledge and understanding of one of the most central and influential figures of twentieth-century fashion.” — MIREN ARZALLUZ, director of the Palais Galliera, Fashion Museum of Paris“When I was a young aspiring fashion designer, Karl was one of my heroes. My first introduction to Karl’s work was during his tenure at Chloé. Karl’s instincts and sense of design were unique and awe-inspiring—it was all fashion, always. Marie’s book shares detailed accounts (in short chapters) of Karl’s remarkably fascinating and incredible life.” — MARC JACOBS, fashion designer"Marie Ottavi’s extraordinary, authorized biography Karl Lagerfeld: A Fashion History (Rizzoli) offers a front-row seat to the legendary designer’s transformation from a gym buff with a fondness for Slendertone ab workouts to an 18th-century dandy elder statesman." — L'OFFICIEL USA “Marie Ottavi’s biography of Karl Lagerfeld is an important contribution to our understanding of this complicated man. It is as fascinating as her previous biography of Lagerfeld’s love object, Jacques de Bascher.” — VALERIE STEELE, fashion historian, curator, and director of the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York