In Mikladalur Harbor on Kalsoy, part of the Faroe Islands in Denmark, stands a striking 9 ft-tall statue made of bronze and stainless steel, depicting the mythical Kópakonan (The Seal Wife). Unveiled in August 2014, this sculpture was crafted by artist Hans Pauli Olsen and serves as a tribute to the selkie legends prevalent in this region. These tales, particularly two famous myths about the Seal Wife, are deeply rooted in Faroese folklore. The legend describes selkies as humans who chose the sea over life, transforming into seals. According to myth, once every year on Twelfth Night, they could shed their seal skins, assume human form, and revel in earthly pleasures for a short time.
He was best known for his dazzling designs at fashion houses including Chanel and Fendi - and for his very extravagant tastes.
But Karl Lagerfeld also boasted an impressive property portfolio and estate that was valued at $223million after his death.
Over the course of his life, Lagerfeld bought and renovated at least 20 homes around the world.
Now, four years after the controversial star's death, a new book is opening the doors to those private homes.
Opulent fabrics, quirky color schemes and entire walls devoted to books are among design features of some of the properties.
They span from Paris, Monte Carlo, Rome, Hamburg and Biarritz, each as unique as their famous occupier.
Karl Lagerfeld pictured in 1983 at his swanky Monaco apartment. He furnished the getaway pad with objects and furniture from Memphis. Here, he sits at the Unknown table by George Sowden, with Riviera chairs by Michele De Lucchi
Karl Lagerfeld's Paris apartment at 8 Rue des Saint-Pères featured a ground-floor living room, complete with a matching black 'Quilt' sofa and ottoman set and an impressive bookshelf covering an entire wall. The idea to use thin, closely fitted sheets of metal as bookshelves in order to closely stack the colorful books in a n abstract way came from Karl Lagerfeld himself
Karl Lagerfeld finished furnishing his stunning French villa, which lay just west of Paris, and only spent one night there. The Louveciennes villa is full of references to the late fashion designer. The exterior (pictured) showcases the authenticity of the historic villa, which is just as bit lavish inside as it is outside. Lagerfeld's palace remained untouched when he died - even his sketchbook was left open on the table
The doors leading to Lagerfeld's guest bedroom at his Parisian Pavillon are surrounded by vintage German advertising posters - a homage to his German ancestry and upbringing
Here, Lagerfeld stands in front of the breathtaking bookshelf in his studio. He adopted the same design method for the shelves in his studio as in his living room - using thin, closely fitted sheets of metal to slot the books against each other. Lagerfeld spent a large amount of time in his Paris apartment - as it was close to the birthplace of Chanel, where he worked for most of his professional life
Here, Lagerfeld is caught working at his desk at the studio in his Parisian apartment in 1974. Visible in the foreground is a 1930s vintage daybed upholstered in brown and beige velvet, designed by Michel Roux-Spitz
Lagerfeld's Monte Carlo apartment was on the 21st floor of a high rise in Monaco. The pad reflected his love of 18th-century pomp - which he accomplished with bright and bold furniture choices. The avant-garde aesthetic of his Monaco apartment was very different to his other homes. Pictured is a reverse view of the sitting room, with Masanori Umeda's boxing ring and George Sowden's armchair in the foreground
Karl Lagerfeld is pictured in the master bedroom of his French Riviera summer home Villa La Vigie. The fashion icon harshly contrasts the softness of the monochromatic cream room with his sharp dark suit and sunglasses. The bedroom is a tribute to the French Riviera with its elegant and simple details and vintage vibe
Here, Lagerfeld is pictured in the early 1960s at his Rue del'Université apartment. This picture was snapped shortly before the iconic designer left Paris to study art history in Italy in 1964. The decor of his apartment reflected the creative nature of the decade, but brought a component of elegance and class to the free-spiritedness with the symmetrical art work and statues
Karl Lagerfeld pictured posing for a German magazine in a new version of the sitting room at his Paris apartment in 1972. The picture was snapped over a decade before the fashion designer became Creative Director at Chanel in Paris - but he had lived in the French capital since moving there at the age of 14
Karl Lagerfeld: a Life in Houses is set to be released on January 16, 2024. The book, written by Patrick Mauriès and Marie Kalt, will tell the story of Lagerfeld's life through the interior design choices he made in his many homes.
Jack Russell Terriers are a type, or strain, of working terrier; they are not pure bred in the sense that they have a broad genetic make-up, a broad standard, and do not breed true to type. This is a result of having been bred strictly for hunting since their beginning in the early 1800's, and their preservation as a working breed since. The broad standard, varied genetic background based on years of restricted inbreeding and wide outcrossing, and great variety of size and type, are the major characteristics that make this strain of terrier known as a Jack Russell such a unique, versatile working terrier.
The Jack Russell Terrier takes it name from the Reverend John Russell who bred one of the finest strains of terriers for working fox in Devonshire, England in the mid-to-late 1800's. Rev. Russell (1795-1883), apart from his church activities, had a passion for fox hunting and the breeding of fox hunting dogs; he is also said to be a rather flamboyant character, probably accounting for his strain of terrier's notability and the name of our terrier today. His first terrier, the immortal TRUMP, is said to be the foundation of John Russell's strain of working terriers.
Everything about the Jack Russell has fox hunting in mind... coloring, conformation, character, and intelligence. The body is compact, of totally balanced proportions, the shoulders clean, the legs straight, and most importantly, a small chest (easily spannable by average size hands at the widest part behind the shoulders). The Jack Russell must also be totally flexible, allowing him to maneuver underground. This conformation allows the terrier to follow his quarry down narrow earths. The fox is a good model for the Jack Russell-where the fox can go, so must the terrier. Although originally bred for fox hunting, the Jack Russell is a versatile working terrier to a variety of quarry including red and grey fox, raccoon and woodchuck.
John Russell maintained his strain of fox terriers bred strictly for working, and the terrier we know of today as the Jack Russell is much the same as the pre-1900 fox terrier. The Jack Russell has survived the changes that have occurred in the modern-day Fox Terrier because it has been preserved by working terrier enthusiasts in England for more than 100 years; it has survived on its merits as a worker. It is the foremost goal of the JRTCA that the Jack Russell continues in that tradition.
The Fox Terrier, accepted as a kennel club breed in the late 1800's, has undergone many conformational changes as a result of the whims of the show ring, resulting in today's Modern Fox Terrier. Conformational changes such as a deep chest, long, narrow head structure, and extremely straight shoulders make it very unlikely that a fox terrier of today's standard could follow a fox into a shallow earth, even if the instinct to do so remained. John Russell maintained his strain of fox terriers bred strictly for working, and the terrier we know of today as the Jack Russell is much the same as the pre-1900 fox terrier. It is interesting to note that John Russell was one of the original founders of England's Kennel Club in 1873; in 1874, he judged Fox Terriers in the first Kennel Club sanctioned show in London. While he remained a Kennel Club member for the rest of his life, he did not exhibit his own dogs. The Jack Russell has survived the changes that have occurred in the modern-day Fox Terrier because it has been preserved by working terrier enthusiasts in England for more than 100 years; it has survived on its merit as a working. It is the foremost goal of the JRTCA that the Jack Russell continued in that tradition.
Jay Swank (@dvos_jay)
