This vintage photograph is a historical document of rare symbolic power. It was taken in 1984, a turning point in modern fashion history: Karl Lagerfeld had recently taken over as artistic director of Chanel and was at the beginning of an era that would lead the French fashion house to renewed global fame. Against the backdrop of the Arc de Triomphe, the monument to Napoleon's victory, the Russian photographer Vladimir Sichov captured the designer at this pivotal moment.

Vladimir Sichov (born 1945), who had emigrated from the Soviet Union to Paris as a dissident only a few years earlier, is known for his unvarnished street photography. Unlike his staged studio photographs, he portrays Lagerfeld here not as an unapproachable artistic figure, but as part of the vibrant metropolis of Paris – monumental yet real. The contrast between the photographer's raw, documentary gaze and the designer's stylized elegance lends the work a unique tension.

The work boasts an outstanding provenance: it was part of the Karl Lagerfeld exhibition in Hamburg (2025), underscoring its museum-quality status. The print measures 34 x 24 cm and is presented in a high-quality gallery frame made of silver aluminum. It is glazed with anti-reflective museum glass including UV protection to ensure the long-term preservation of this vintage print.

This is a consignment sale on behalf of a client. The artwork can be viewed by appointment in the showroom in Frankfurt am Main. The sale is final and without warranty; returns are not accepted.