‘Long Live Choupette’: The T-shirt tribute to Karl Lagerfeld and his cat

After the death of the designer and Chanel creative director, T-shirt label Ironic Lux has launched its tribute

Nahia del Valle of Ironic Lux wearing the T-shirt. Courtesy Ironic Lux

A week after the death of Karl Lagerfeld, one Spanish brand has launched a sartorial tribute to the designer and creative director.

Ironic Lux has created a T-shirt entitled, “The Kaiser is Dead, Long Live Choupette”.  Aimed at being a humourous tribute to the designer, it features a simple line drawing of Choupette - Lagerfeld’s pet cat - wearing one of Lagerfeld’s trademark high collars and a tie.

Iconic Lux's 'Long live Choupette' T-shirt. Courtesy Iconic Lux

Colloquially known as The Kaiser, Lagerfeld enjoyed a career that spanned more than six decades, influencing generations of fashion lovers, and was as famous for his personal style as his designs. Over the past 15 years, he never strayed far from a uniform of a skinny-cut black jacket and trousers, white shirt with high, starched collars, and a thin black tie.

News of his death on February 19, aged 85, sent shock waves through the industry, with many wondering what will now happen to his beloved pet cat.

A pedigree Birman, Choupette was Lagerfeld's constant companion, and he often joked he wished he could marry her. She was also the inspiration behind many of his designs, and before his death, he also declared his intention of leaving his estimated $200 million (Dh734.6 million) fortune to her, making her an exceedingly rich little kitty.

“The idea of this T-shirt is to be faithful to the will of Lagerfeld who left instructions to avoid tear-jerking, grandiloquent tributes,” explains designer Nahia del Valle, the woman behind Ironic Lux.

“I think that making Choupette the main character of this T-shirt is something that Karl would have found amusing, since he always acknowledged being in love with her.”

Sadly, it seems Lagerfeld’s wish for Choupette may be thwarted, as it seems there is no legal framework for a cat to inherit a fortune.

“The relationship with his cat Choupette always seemed funny to me. The fact that he has bequeathed his personal fortune to her is going to open up a very interesting debate from a legal perspective, since neither French or German legislation allows for the donation of assets to animals,” del Valle concludes.

Either way, whether spurred on by her lineage, her fashion pedigree or her potential millions, there is little doubt there is a long list of people eager to adopt Choupette.