When you hear the name Karl Lagerfeld, the first thing that comes to mind is his physical characteristics: long white hair tied in a braid, dark sunglasses, elegant clothing in black and white. His visual appearance and his striking statements have turned the star designer into a total work of art - a prestigious personal brand. How exactly this worked was explained by Prof. Dr. Nicholas Qyll researched at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen ( THM ). The professor of visual communication works in the Digital Media Systems course in the Department of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Computer Science.

Qyll presented his more recent study on the image formation of star designer Karl Lagerfeld during the first specialist conference “Power of Prestige” at St. Anne's College at the University of Oxford. The international conference participants approached the topic of prestige and power from different perspectives - including what role the media plays or whether the social influence of well-known personalities can bring about change.

“In my current research on Karl Lagerfeld, I was able to explain how the designer established his prestige and glamor through clever image strategies. His particular appeal resulted from the tension between his eccentric personality, his provocative statements (Karlisms) and his consistent visual presentation. Through media reduction, Lagerfeld became a 'universal symbol of style' that lives on in the media even after his death," explains Qyll.

For him, the invitation to Oxford was an opportunity to enter the scientific discourse and to represent his teaching and research work at the THM internationally. “Of particular note is a feminist media scholar who addressed Lagerfeld’s controversial statements about body image and refugees. Since the statements of influential personalities have significant social impact, it is crucial to include critical perspectives on the power structures of personal brands in research. “That’s why in the future I will integrate this aspect into my studies on personal brands as key opinion leaders in society,” said the scientist.

In addition to the discourse, Qyll and the other conference participants also focused on networking: joint research projects and publications, future research visits to various universities and establishing contacts with researchers from Europe, the USA and Australia.