Cuddle Up with Karl Lagerfeld

Or at least the soon-to-be-released Steiff teddy bear version of the designer, photographer, bibliophile, and all-around cultural icon. Next Friday in Berlin, the German plush toy manufacturer will premiere its limited edition Karl Lagerfeld bear (pictured at right). The ursine Lagerfeld, made of white alpaca wool and standing 15 inches tall, sports aviator sunglasses and what looks to be the tiniest ever Dior Homme ensemble; the initials “K L” sparkle from his jewel-encrusted belt buckle. Lagerfeld approved all aspects of the bear, which will sell for approximately $1,500 on Steiff’s website. “I really love animals, particularly when they are stuffed with cotton or polyester,” said the ever-quotable designer. “That way you can guarantee that they won’t bite, won’t claw, won’t smell bad and make your things dirty.”

Lagerfeld isn’t the first German-born celebrity to be immortalized by Steiff. Last fall, the company released its Pope bear, a white mohair tribute to the election of Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, the first German Pope for 500 years. And Steiff went the extra mile to get the satin cloak-clad Benedict XVI bear just right. Not with bright red shoes, but something far creepier: according to a press release, “Using a special dyeing process, his eyes have been matched to the actual colour of the Pope’s eyes.”

Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews.