Karl Lagerfeld to Expand Brand in 2012 With Masstige and Prestige Lines

The creative director for Chanel and Fendi is taking his solo act to the Web.

With backing by Apax Partners, Karl Lagerfeld is launching "Karl," described as a "rock chic" diffusion line (priced at $85 to $400, reports AFP) as an online-only collection. The fashion e-tailer net-a-porter will sell the line exclusively starting January 25th before it goes on sale in February at KarlLagerfeld.com.

Lagerfeld, who dipped his well-shod foot into the masstige business with affordable streetwear collections for H&M (a collaboration that didn't end well) and Macy's, also has a second signature collection in the works.

According to Reuters, "Lagerfeld, 78, is also planning to launch in autumn 2012 a more upmarket label called "Karl Lagerfeld Paris", [to be] sold in multi-brand and department stores, with items priced between 300 and 2,000 euros."

He's more bankable than ever, Reuters adds: "Today, the Karl Lagerfeld brand generates more than 100 million euros ($139 million) through various licensing and co-branding deals."

Lagerfeld, who recently told CNN's Alino Cho that his real surname is Labelfeld, also collaborated with Diet Coke — his favorite beverage — in a high-profile partnership, as he discussed below.