• by Emily Burg , July 16, 2007

Fashion design icon Karl Lagerfeld, known snarkily as "Kaiser Karl" and Coty, the world's largest fragrance company, have teamed up for a strategic licensing agreement that will allow Coty to market the Lagerfeld line of signature fragrances and to create a new fragrance.

Coty and Lagerfeld's company, Karl Lagerfeld SAS, have had ties since 2005, when Coty began distributing the Karl Lagerfeld fragrance line for Unilever, the former licensee for Lagerfeld. Coty plans to continue the distribution of the existing Lagerfeld fragrances. The companies will reveal details about their plans to develop a new, signature fragrance at a later date.

"Karl Lagerfeld is one of the--if not the--most influential fashion icon, idol and trendsetter of the 20th century, and no doubt his legacy will be idolized by generations to come. His magnetic personality, powerful charisma and undeniably prestigious styles are coveted by celebrities, designers, and consumers worldwide," said Bernd Beetz, CEO, Coty Inc. "We are thrilled to have this opportunity to work together to market the signature line of Lagerfeld fragrances."

Karl Lagerfeld SAS and its affiliates design, source and market K KARL LAGERFELD, contemporary designer apparel for men and women in addition to the internationally acclaimed signature ready-to-wear collection KARL LAGERFELD, a high-end luxury collection which is designed and shown in Paris.

The once portly, now svelte, black sunglasses-sporting Lagerfeld, who heads collections and ready-to-wear for Chanel, is the latest addition to the Coty celebrity fragrance family. Its Prestige brand portfolio, distributed in prestige and ultra-prestige stores, includes fragrances by fashion designers and fashionistas, including Vivienne Westwood, Sarah Jessica Parker, Vera Wang, Gwen Stefani, Marc Jacobs, Jennifer Lopez, Jil Sander, Kenneth Cole and Calvin Klein.

The more widely distributed Beauty brand portfolio includes licensed fragrances for Celine Dion, David and Victoria Beckham, Kylie Minogue, mary-kateandashley and Isabella Rossellini. With global annual sales of $2.9 billion, Coty Inc. sells its branded fragrances in 91 markets worldwide.