Eric Pfrunder, Karl Lagerfeld's photography winger, dies at 74

Eric Pfrunder, one of Karl Lagerfeld's closest creative associates with his various photographic projects, is died Monday in Paris hospitalized at 74 after a long illness, his son Jasper confirmed to WWD.

Services are scheduled for Friday.

Pfrunder was Chanel's image director for three decades, and remained artistic director of the fashion image for a brief period following Lagerfeld's death in February 2019.

"A man of conviction and loyalty, a passionate worker, 'vorarbeiter' as he was affectionately called Karl Lagerfeld, Eric tirelessly devoted his exceptional eye and vision to the excellence of Chanel, generously sharing his knowledge and ideas with the image team and more broadly, the fashion division,” said Bruno Pavlovsky, President of Chanel Fashion, in a statement shared with WWD, "His contribution to Chanel is immense. We offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends."

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Lagerfeld often said he had three key accomplices at the Chanel fashion house: Pfrunder, Pavlovsky and Virginie Viard, his longtime studio director, who will succeed the designer as creative director.

Indeed, it was Pfrunder who first suggested Lagerfeld try his hand at photography .

In 1987, Lagerfeld expressed his frustration with images made for Chanel press kits and therefore Pfrunder, bewildered, suggested that Lagerfeld make them himself. It wasn't long before Lagerfeld was shooting fashion series for French Vogue and then campaigns for all the brands he touched, including Chanel, Fendi and Karl Lagerfeld brands.

Pfrunder worked at Chanel's fashion division from 1983 to 2019 on image creation. On Tuesday, Pavlovsky described him as "an essential and active part of the creative trio" he formed with Lagerfeld and Viard, "thereby establishing Chanel as the luxury fashion house par excellence".

Karl Lagerfeld; Princess Caroline of Hanover and Eric Pfrunder. Giovanni Giannoni

Indeed, Pfrunder was always at Lagerfeld's side as the tireless German designer produced countless books, catalogs and advertising campaigns, in addition to couture and ready-to-wear collections.

External ad clients included Di...