Karl Lagerfeld believed that still water stagnates while flowing water stays fresh. For Hun Kim, who worked alongside him for years, this philosophy is more than a compass; it is a responsibility at the heart of his creative journey. As Creative Director, he not only preserves Karl’s legacy but also transforms it into a living, evolving, and dynamic spirit.
Today, Hun Kim’s vision turns this philosophy into timeless creativity. In his hands, Karl’s black-and-white world finds harmony, where classic lines blend with modern energy. Rather than freezing the legacy behind glass, Hun keeps it in constant motion, reshaping it with every collection. Like flowing water, the Lagerfeld universe is endlessly renewed through his touch.
Before we dive in, how are things going for you in this busy season?
Amazing, actually. We just had a luncheon party in Paris and it was phenomenal. People enjoyed it and rediscovered what the brand is about while mixing with different style icons. It became one of the most memorable events. Guests celebrated Karl’s legacy in combination with Paris. It connected generations and styles beautifully. Honestly, it was the most incredible party I have ever been to! We had a late start, that is Paris with all the construction, but it turned out absolutely worth it.
As someone who worked closely with Karl, what does it mean for you to carry the brand’s vision in his absence?
It is both interesting and very challenging to step into someone else’s shoes when the legacy is so immense. Rather than pretending I could fill them, I return to what I learned from him. I worked closely with Karl for five years, and my ten years at the House are split before and after his passing. Sitting next to him, he taught me how to think, how to envision a product, how to approach an idea. In that sense, he still guides me.
Having access to Karl’s archive is also a constant source of inspiration. I am not blindfolded, I work with material deeply connected to him. And Karl did not just hire people, he built a family. The team around me, many of whom worked with him for years, has given me strength and guidance whenever I felt lost. They reminded me, this is what Karl did. That made carrying his legacy smoother than I imagined.
Having access to Karl’s archive is also a constant source of inspiration. I am not blindfolded, I work with material deeply connected to him. And Karl did not just hire people, he built a family. The team around me, many of whom worked with him for years, has given me strength and guidance whenever I felt lost. They reminded me, this is what Karl did. That made carrying his legacy smoother than I imagined.
And how do you preserve Karl’s legacy while weaving in your own aesthetic?
When I first started, we worked on the White Shirt Project. Karl once said that if he could invent anything, it would be the white shirt, simple yet incredibly hard to perfect. In the same spirit, I always begin with a white shirt, and our collections build many variations around it.
Sometimes I draw directly from Karl’s archive of sketches and products. Other times I am inspired by architecture or unexpected cultural references that create new collars, silhouettes, or proportions. In this way I strive to honour Karl’s legacy while also shaping refreshed collections, moving forward but staying grounded in what he left us.
Sometimes I draw directly from Karl’s archive of sketches and products. Other times I am inspired by architecture or unexpected cultural references that create new collars, silhouettes, or proportions. In this way I strive to honour Karl’s legacy while also shaping refreshed collections, moving forward but staying grounded in what he left us.
So you also said it was kind of smooth, but what has been the most challenging part of keeping Karl’s voice alive in the collections?
It is about asking myself what he would do and what he would not do. When you create something, it becomes obvious. People say, ‘this is so Karl,’ and when it does not feel very Karl, they might still love it, but they also say, ‘maybe not him.’ That is always how I approach design: is this something Karl would design, and is it also something I want to present?
It is such a bold character that you can differentiate easily.
Yes, exactly. Many customers, friends, and family are drawn to that unique signature. When you start losing it, the House becomes unstable. So I constantly balance between what Karl would do and what I would do. That is what guides our design.
“It is both interesting and very challenging to step into someone else’s shoes when the legacy is so immense. Rather than pretending I could fill them, I return to what I learned from him.”
Speaking of bold moves, what was the strategic thinking behind choosing Paris Hilton as the face of the campaign?
At first I wondered, is she really Karl? But the more I worked with her, the more I loved the idea. As I mentioned, Karl did not just hire people, he built a family. Even after retirement, many of his collaborators stayed close, attending parties and ateliers. The faces of the Maison were never chosen simply for popularity, but because Karl believed they belonged to the family.
Karl and Paris met a long time ago, and she always treasured that encounter. He genuinely adored her. With Karl it was simple: if he loved you, you were part of the family. Paris is not only a style icon, she is also kind-hearted and unpretentious. The more I spoke with her, the more I saw that and the more I was drawn to her. She is even one of the biggest collectors of Karl’s fingerless gloves.
She did not just arrive saying she wanted to be a muse. Instead, we found each other through a deep connection and shared respect for Karl. That made her the right person to join us in creating this new chapter.
Karl and Paris met a long time ago, and she always treasured that encounter. He genuinely adored her. With Karl it was simple: if he loved you, you were part of the family. Paris is not only a style icon, she is also kind-hearted and unpretentious. The more I spoke with her, the more I saw that and the more I was drawn to her. She is even one of the biggest collectors of Karl’s fingerless gloves.
She did not just arrive saying she wanted to be a muse. Instead, we found each other through a deep connection and shared respect for Karl. That made her the right person to join us in creating this new chapter.
Everything moves so quickly these days. How is the brand’s aesthetic evolving under the pressure of digital speed and virality?
That is a very interesting question. Recently I have had many conversations with digital creators and with teams who help us develop design ideas through new tools. We are living in such a fast world that if you blink, you can miss it. In the past, especially in magazines, things took time. A collection would be shown, printed, and only then absorbed by the public. Today the moment a look appears on the runway or social media, it spreads instantly.
Online is twenty-four seven, three hundred sixty-five days a year, so you constantly need to feed the audience. That demand creates a new way of working where digital partners, sales, and design all collaborate. We now use virtual draping to visualise a garment in three dimensions from the start, instead of waiting for a physical prototype. I also use AI extensively, not to say ‘make me a dress,’ but to transform my sketches into lifelike images. This shows us quickly if something should be longer, wider or shorter, saving time and resources. It allows refinement before a single sample is made, which is sustainable as we avoid unnecessary prototypes and reduce costs. I still sketch endlessly, as Karl did, but now AI helps us test variations, share with production, and refine faster. Even for celebrity dresses I sketch and then test with AI before making them. It gives us more clarity, time, and precision.
Online is twenty-four seven, three hundred sixty-five days a year, so you constantly need to feed the audience. That demand creates a new way of working where digital partners, sales, and design all collaborate. We now use virtual draping to visualise a garment in three dimensions from the start, instead of waiting for a physical prototype. I also use AI extensively, not to say ‘make me a dress,’ but to transform my sketches into lifelike images. This shows us quickly if something should be longer, wider or shorter, saving time and resources. It allows refinement before a single sample is made, which is sustainable as we avoid unnecessary prototypes and reduce costs. I still sketch endlessly, as Karl did, but now AI helps us test variations, share with production, and refine faster. Even for celebrity dresses I sketch and then test with AI before making them. It gives us more clarity, time, and precision.
Looking beyond the shows, where does sustainability currently stand within the Karl Lagerfeld brand?
It is a very important subject. Sustainability can no longer be decoration, it must be the foundation of the business. We live in a small world, and overproduction is a real danger. Designers have a responsibility to adopt new methods with digital tools and AI that reduce waste and allow a more thoughtful process.
Think of the traditional cycle: design, sketch, send to ateliers, receive the prototype, cut, pin, send back again. The footprint of this is huge, and if we reduce even part of it, the difference is significant. Working digitally makes us design greener and smarter. At first sustainability was treated like a green stamp, something symbolic. Today it goes much deeper. It is not only about organic fabrics but about a bigger mindset and a smarter way of creating.
Think of the traditional cycle: design, sketch, send to ateliers, receive the prototype, cut, pin, send back again. The footprint of this is huge, and if we reduce even part of it, the difference is significant. Working digitally makes us design greener and smarter. At first sustainability was treated like a green stamp, something symbolic. Today it goes much deeper. It is not only about organic fabrics but about a bigger mindset and a smarter way of creating.
And on a more personal note, how do your Korean roots inform your design sensibility or the brand’s visual language?
I was born in Korea but have lived more outside of it than in. Still, deep inside, I am very Korean. Whenever I return, I crave the food, and watching K-pop or K-dramas makes me feel even closer. Karl Lagerfeld as a brand is very international, but my roots gave me a deep appreciation for balance, craft and subtle details. In Korean culture there is respect for minimalism, harmony and quiet elegance, and those values shape how I approach design.
I often blend this sensibility with the House’s bold black-and-white world, creating a dialogue between heritage and modernity. It is not about making designs overtly Korean but about carrying refinement, precision, and depth into the brand’s visual language. Karl himself once did a collection in Korea, and he told me he loved Korean fashion and saw great possibilities in it. Today with K-pop, K-drama, K-food, K-cosmetics and K-fashion, you see that energy everywhere. Korean people love fashion, they live for it.
I often blend this sensibility with the House’s bold black-and-white world, creating a dialogue between heritage and modernity. It is not about making designs overtly Korean but about carrying refinement, precision, and depth into the brand’s visual language. Karl himself once did a collection in Korea, and he told me he loved Korean fashion and saw great possibilities in it. Today with K-pop, K-drama, K-food, K-cosmetics and K-fashion, you see that energy everywhere. Korean people love fashion, they live for it.
“I constantly balance between what Karl would do and what I would do. That is what guides our design.”
Well, I have never been, but I always feel that idea of quiet luxury from there.
I think you would love it. Koreans are passionate not only about clothing but also culture as a whole. They care about experiencing it. Every time I return I discover something new. Once I found a Spanish restaurant serving jamón, and knowing how it should taste from Spain, I tried it immediately to be sure people enjoyed it properly.
That is great to hear. Obviously you learned from the very best. What is the most valuable lesson you learned from Karl?
Many people say, ‘I am getting too old, I will stop,’ but Karl never said that. He never took vacations, he enjoyed creating wherever he was. He always said he did not want to waste time lying on a beach, he preferred to keep working — and I admired that. The biggest lesson I learned was to enjoy what you do and never stop. My last meeting with him was two weeks before his passing. In that state most would rest, but he came in for a meeting. That was his wish, to keep working until the very end. Like the Energizer bunny that keeps going, that was Karl. From him I learned there is no such thing as stopping, you just keep moving forward.
You spent so much time together. What was the most personal piece of advice or moment you shared with him that still guides your creative process today?
For me it is about being true to Karl. He always believed in moving forward. He used to say that still water can stagnate, but flowing water stays fresh. In the same way, we must keep evolving, always in motion, always renewing. That is what continues to guide me.
And lastly, beyond the work itself, what was Karl like in your private conversations? How did those interactions shape the way you see him as both a mentor and a man?
He was the kindest person. At my first meeting I was terrified, but the moment I sat down he spoke calmly, asking me about where I was from, small details that immediately broke the ice. When I shared my designs, he gave valuable advice, and what connected us most was our love of sketching. I draw hundreds of pieces each season, my fingers even show it, and Karl noticed. He asked if I sketched everything myself. When I said yes, he whispered, ‘I do the same.’ He could not understand how designers worked without putting ideas on paper. That bonded us.
Our working relationship grew organically. I would sit beside him, showing sketches and prototypes, and sometimes he would draw a quick line, suggesting a sharper collar, and pass it back. It was like an international language, no words needed. Instead of instructing, he guided by example. That is what I try to do with my own team now, sharing perspectives with younger designers so they can pass it on in the future. It should always be continuous, like water flowing into the next generation.
Our working relationship grew organically. I would sit beside him, showing sketches and prototypes, and sometimes he would draw a quick line, suggesting a sharper collar, and pass it back. It was like an international language, no words needed. Instead of instructing, he guided by example. That is what I try to do with my own team now, sharing perspectives with younger designers so they can pass it on in the future. It should always be continuous, like water flowing into the next generation.
