Legendary fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld has died at the age of 85. 

The German designer passed away in Paris, according to sources close to fashion house Chanel. It is reported that he was unwell for the past two weeks.

Lagerfeld is best known as the hugely influential creative director of Chanel and Fendi.

Born in 1938 in Hamburg, Lagerfeld entered the world of fashion in 1955 when he was asked to become an assistant to Pierre Balmain at the age of 17.

He joined Chanel in 1983 and worked at the iconic fashion house, established by Coco Chanel, for a record-breaking 36 years.

Lagerfeld was an enduring icon and easily recognisable for his signature style of a white-collared shirt, white ponytail, fingerless gloves and black sunglasses.

His high-profile career has been honoured many times over the decades.

“I design like I breathe,” Lagerfeld once said. “You don’t ask to breathe — it just happens.”