Legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld’s estate is set to sell at Sotheby’s this week, headlined by the artwork and fashion pieces one would expect, as well as a surprising collection of 45 iPods.
Lagerfeld, who is best known for serving as the creative director for Chanel from 1983 until his death in 2019, had over 500 iPods in his collection, according to Sotheby’s, which said he was “fascinated” by the devices and had specific ones dedicated to genres of music.
“I’m the king of the iPods,” Sotheby’s recounts the fashion icon once saying.
Graphic novelist Warren Ellis wrote in 2023 that Lagerfeld had an “‘iPod nanny’ to digitize his collection for the iPods and to add new music to new devices. This is how he ended up with over 300 of them — he treated them like cassette tapes.”
Among the iPods up for bid are lots of iPod Nanos, Minis and Classic variations from multiple years, as well as one show-stopping bedazzled iPod and microphone.
In 2014, Apple designer Jony Ive showcased the new Apple Watch to Lagerfeld as part of a small group of fashion designers given a sneak peek of the product, according to Apple Insider.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.