• A potential legal dispute over the designer’s estate after his death
• His relatives could receive a share of his wealth if the will is challenged

German media reported that the will of late designer Karl Lagerfeld may face a legal challenge from one of his relatives, after the designer left most of his fortune—estimated at €200 million—to his longtime assistant, his godson, two fashion models, and his beloved cat, Choupette.

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Lagerfeld, who was renowned for reshaping Chanel’s legacy after joining the French fashion house in 1983, died at the age of 85 on 19 February 2019.

According to reports, the current legal dispute could lead to part of his wealth being redistributed to the children of his sisters and siblings, who are considered his surviving relatives.

The will, finalized in April 2016, states that assistant Sébastien Jondeau, godson Hudson Kroenig, and models Brad Kroenig and Baptiste Giabiconi would receive the largest share of his estate.

Lagerfeld had said in 2015 that he “had no family at all,” noting he had not seen his sister Christiane for 40 years and that her children “never even sent me a birthday card.”

His Birman cat, Choupette, is also part of the inheritance, having been left a house with a garden and a sum of $1.5 million, under the care of Lagerfeld’s former housekeeper, Françoise Caçote.

Choupette reportedly traveled by private jet, had a bodyguard, a personal chef, and two maids, and received daily meals consisting of four different dishes.

German media recently reported that the executor of the will, Christian Boisson, had sent a letter to Lagerfeld’s surviving relatives informing them of the legal challenge.

If the will is annulled under French inheritance law, the designer’s wealth could be redistributed among his blood relatives.

Lagerfeld had no children, and both of his sisters, Christiane and Thea, died before him—meaning any ruling in favor of relatives could allow nieces, nephews, and other surviving family members to claim shares of the fortune.