Melania Trump Salutes 'Creative Genius' Karl Lagerfeld

U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, a former model, on Tuesday paid brief tribute to iconic designer Karl Lagerfeld, who died Tuesday at age 85.

"Today the world lost a creative genius. We will miss you Karl! #RIPKarlLagerfeld," tweeted Trump, a longtime fan of the prolific couturier who had helmed the label Chanel since 1983.

The wife of Donald Trump posted a photo of Lagerfeld and herself wearing a beige dress-jacket combo in Chanel's signature boucle, and another from a 2017 White House conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when she sported a white cashmere skirt suit Lagerfeld designed for her.

Trump also posted Lagerfeld's original sketch of the design, which featured a pearl-buttoned, belted peplum jacket and pencil skirt.

The First Lady notably wore Chanel to her first state dinner, donning a shimmering, sleeveless gown to host France's Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron in April 2018.

In 2017 Lagerfeld told WSJ Magazine that Americans need to "deal with" the election of President Trump, whose win triggered resistance and criticism among much of the design world's glitterati.

"Fashion magazines and fashion people are fashion, they are not politics," Lagerfeld told the magazine.

"I knew Trump before, when he was not in politics. I'm not American, but he's a democratically elected president of America, so people have to deal with it."

"Mrs Trump is a very nice woman and pretty handsome. Good body, no? And this Ivanka is quite cute, no?" the fashion icon said, referring to the president's daughter.