More than a thousand personal sketches by Karl Lagerfeld, which remained in his private archive until his death, are set to be auctioned at Sotheby’s in Paris. These are far more than mere drawings; they are the working notes of a genius who, for a quarter of a century, translated his visions onto paper before they ever took shape in the collections of Chanel, Fendi, and his namesake label.
For the first time, over 1,000 never-before-seen sketches, working documents, and personal archives from Karl Lagerfeld are set to go under the hammer. Swipe through for a first look, and register to bid now >> bit.ly/43Tr7U0 The sixth installment of this landmark
This sixth auction of the designer's estate will be held online from July 2 to July 8, 2026, preceded by a preview exhibition in Paris. The lots featured range from individual pages to bundles of four to twelve drawings, alongside roughly 200 iPods from his legendary collection and rare 1920s Art Deco benches.
While every item is offered at a starting price of just one euro, the history of previous sales indicates that these meticulously colored sketches—especially political cartoons and concepts—can fetch tens or even hundreds of thousands of euros. This enduring demand highlights that interest in Lagerfeld’s legacy remains potent seven years after his death in February 2019.
Sotheby’s highlights a crucial distinction: these drawings comprise an exclusively personal archive that was never surrendered to the fashion brands. The designer preserved them as evidence of his tireless creative output. His own guiding principle was that "fashion begins on paper and is preserved on paper."
This philosophy defines the value of these pages, where every stroke captures a flash of inspiration long before a collection was finalized. In an age where most designers have turned to 3D software and tablets, Lagerfeld’s sketches stand as artifacts of a fading discipline: the direct connection between hand and paper to capture an immediate idea.
It was likely this very process that enabled one man to manage multiple fashion houses at once by cataloging thousands of visual references. These sketches offer a glimpse into his methodology, showing how he tested silhouettes and experimented with color and mood well before the runway.
Much like the sketchbooks of the Old Masters, these lots elevate Lagerfeld’s daily routine into a significant cultural artifact. The auction proves that Karl Lagerfeld’s legacy is found not only in the physical garments seen on the world’s stages but also in these sheets of paper he guarded as personal treasures—unseen and yet invaluable witnesses to his genius.
