When discussing individuals who lived the most luxurious and grand lives in the fashion world, the name Karl Lagerfeld is undoubtedly among the top. The German designer, who was the creative director of both Chanel and Fendi, lived amid wealth that was almost beyond imagination.
Over several decades in fashion, Karl Lagerfeld built and amassed immense wealth, owning numerous luxury properties across Europe, including apartments in Paris, Rome, and the French Riviera, as well as large mansions in Biarritz and his hometown, Hamburg.
His wealth was reflected in a vast personal collection, ranging from over 300,000 books and artwork by renowned artists to three Rolls-Royce cars and a collection of 509 iPods. A notable anecdote illustrating his wealth is his Paris florist's annual budget, reportedly around 1.5 million euros just for decorating his home with flowers.
Despite fame, fortune, and vast assets, Lagerfeld's personal life differed greatly from traditional family norms. He never married nor had children, raising many questions about who would inherit his estate after his death from cancer in 2019.
One name that many global media outlets heavily reported on was "Choupette." This name does not belong to a lover, close friend, or family member, but to a cream-colored Birman cat with blue eyes that he adored. Many viewed her as the true heir to Karl Lagerfeld's fortune.
This article from Thairath Money in theHow to Make Moneycolumn explores whether Choupette (pronounced "Shoopet") truly inherited hundreds of millions from the famous designer, how she is faring today at age 14, and whether she continues her role as a luxury Petfluencer after her beloved owner's passing.
Before diving into Choupette's story, let's look back to Karl Lagerfeld's younger years, during which he had a long-term partner, Jacques de Bascher, for nearly 20 years until Bascher's death from AIDS in 1989.
In his later years, Lagerfeld often formed close bonds with young men he called his muses—artists who inspired his creativity—yet he avoided traditional romantic relationships.
Interestingly, for most of his life, Karl Lagerfeld's world was meticulously curated, filled with art and fashion, leaving little room for pets. Whether he had never been interested in keeping animals before remains unclear.
The turning point came in 2011 when Baptiste Giabiconi, a model and important muse, planned to return to Marseille for Christmas and temporarily entrusted a 4-month-old cream-colored Birman kitten named Choupette to Lagerfeld.
When the holiday ended and Giabiconi came to reclaim the kitten, he found that Lagerfeld had fallen deeply in love with Choupette and pleaded to keep her permanently. From that day, their lives changed forever.
Choupette's fame began with a simple photograph when Lagerfeld's friend posted a picture of the little cat gazing beside a bathtub in his luxurious apartment. Lagerfeld then regularly shared stories of his beloved cat's lavish life with the media, capturing worldwide attention.
Choupette's life became one of luxury: reportedly eating meals prepared by a chef on fine porcelain plates, traveling by private jet, and having two personal attendants who meticulously documented her daily routines in a diary.
From a beloved pet, Choupette gradually became a sought-after model for various brands. Lagerfeld once revealed that in 2014 alone, she earned over $3 million from advertising for Opel Corsa cars and Shu Uemura cosmetics collections.
She also starred in two books and built a large online fanbase, starting from fan pages before evolving into her own official communication channels.
Choupette's fame has continued even after Lagerfeld's passing. In 2023, at the Met Gala themed in remembrance of Karl Lagerfeld, many Hollywood celebrities dressed as Lagerfeld's cat. Jared Leto notably wore a mascot costume portraying Choupette at a high-profile charity fashion event.
Although Karl Lagerfeld had homes across Europe—from Rome to the Côte d'Azur—Choupette's world remained chiefly connected to Paris.
When she was a small, fluffy white kitten, Lagerfeld worried someone might accidentally sit on her because most of the furniture was white. To prevent this, he changed all the white furniture in his Paris apartment to black, making Choupette clearly visible.
Today, Choupette still lives in Paris with Françoise Caçote, Lagerfeld's former housekeeper, assigned as her main caretaker. While Choupette occasionally does commercial photo shoots near home, her life is generally quiet and far from the spotlight and drama surrounding her late owner's legacy.
After Karl Lagerfeld's death from cancer in February 2019, media attention quickly focused on his vast estate.
Many outlets estimated his assets to be worth over $200 million, and one of the most discussed stories was that Choupette would become "the richest cat in the world" by inheriting millions.
This belief stemmed from Lagerfeld's own frequent remarks that Choupette was a wealthy young lady with her own assets and that she would be well cared for throughout her life.
However, the reality is more complex. Under French law, animals cannot directly inherit property or hold bank accounts in their own names. Although Lagerfeld appointed Françoise Caçote to care for Choupette after his passing, the large sum many assumed awaited them has never materialized.
Recently, Caçote candidly stated that the image of Choupette as "the richest cat in the world" is far from the truth.
She said, "To be honest, we have not received anything at all to this day."
The inheritance issue remains legally complicated. Caçote has had to hire lawyers to claim rights to the estate in her own name and to try to honor Lagerfeld's original intentions.
Moreover, although Lagerfeld left her a Paris apartment, it comes with significant unpaid taxes. To support herself and Choupette, Caçote currently works part-time.
While the reality differs from stories of a hundred-million-dollar inheritance, what matters most for Choupette may not be the money. For Caçote, the priority is ensuring Choupette's happiness, safety, and proper care, far from inheritance drama and legal disputes with French tax authorities.
She looks after the world's most famous fashion cat so that Choupette can live as she prefers—peacefully sleeping at home in Paris and leading a simple life at her own pace.
Source:The Atlantic
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