From Chanel to Choupette, the most fabulous cameos in fashion

The world of fashion and film cross over more commonly than you may realize. Both are visual media for art that allow for unique expressions of creativity. Some choose to jump in as filmmakers themselves, while others work in a smaller behind the scenes role – but more commonly, they make their way in front of the camera.

All sorts of fashion designers have ended up appearing in films. Maybe they appeared in documentaries recounting the life of a colleague, or made a cameo in a film about the fashion industry. Or they chose to do something entirely different and act in a role.

Karl Lagerfeld was no stranger to the world of film. Of course his name has been dropped throughout various movies and TV shows thanks to his contributions to the fashion world. But he appeared in over 30 different films in a variety of roles, from playing himself to a high-society German aristocrat (which is also kind of playing himself).

The September Issue

The September issue of Vogue is the largest the magazine publishes each year, and this documentary takes a closer look not only at the 2007 issue but editor-in-chief Anna Wintour’s process for developing the issue. Wintour has appeared in a number of fashion documentaries, so it’s refreshing to see her be the focal point of this one. Lagerfeld is good friends with Wintour and it’s therefore no surprise he appears to discuss her work ethic in this documentary.

L’Amour

Andy Warhol was a close friend of Lagerfeld, but Lagerfeld was not one to shy away from criticizing the artist. When asked about Lagerfeld’s role in L’amour, he called it “the most childish filmmaking ever”. This was Warhol’s first film after his assassination attempt in 1968 and his last film as a director.

Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex Fashion & Disco

This film may focus on artist Antonio Lopez, but it also features Lagerfeld because of their relationship during Lopez’s time in Paris. We get a deeper look at Lagerfeld behind the scenes though Lopez’s eyes during the early years of the fashion icon’s career. This doc also takes a close look at Lagerfeld’s rivalry with french fashion titan Yves Saint Laurent.

Zoolander

Though he was very verbal about his disdain when asked to cameo in the sequel, Lagerfeld was one of the large names in fashion to cameo in the first film of the Zoolander franchise. His cameo may not have been one of the most memorable in film, but it helped give Derek Zoolander more legitimacy as a model.

Totally Spies: The Movie

And now, the weirdest possible movie Lagerfeld could have had a role in. Not only does he voice an actual character in the French version of the film, but he’s the voice of the main villain, Fabu! Fashion industry outcast Fabu was once a runway model, but lost his five minutes of fame and couldn’t deal with not being part of the it-crowd.