The legendary Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel had a reputation for bringing practicality to couture: She designed handbags with a chain strap for durability and dresses with jersey for comfort, and favored loose silhouettes over the popular corsets of the early 20th century. You can’t say the same about her successor, Karl Lagerfeld, who sketches with eyeliner instead of pencil or ink. But Lagerfeld’s eccentricity was just what the then-struggling Chanel needed when he took over in 1983. And though his first few collections were over the top—fellow designer Yves Saint Laurent described the excessive use of leather and chain as “sadomasochistic”—Lagerfeld has kept the French house at the forefront of high fashion during his 30-year tenure.
Big Shoes to Fill: 14 Who Followed in the Footsteps of Legendary Leaders
This week’s news that legendary Manchester United football manager Alex Ferguson would be retiring later this month -- and passing his job to David Moyes -- got us here at TIME thinking about how certain roles can be very tough to fill indeed. Whether you’re an athlete, politician, business leader, or entertainer, stepping into a role once filled by a legend can be a daunting task, regardless of your credentials. In that spirit, we present 14 of the most influential figures in recent memory, and the unlucky souls who had to try to fill their shoes.
Coco Chanel / Karl Lagerfeld
Full List
Replacing Legends
- How Do You Take Over for a Legend?
- Tim Cook / Steve Jobs
- Joe Girardi / Joe Torre
- Coco Chanel / Karl Lagerfeld
- Bob Paisley / Bill Shankly
- Sammy Hagar / David Lee Roth
- Gene Bartow / John Wooden
- Jay Leno / Johnny Carson
- Tim Floyd / Phil Jackson
- Lyndon B. Johnson / John F. Kennedy, Jr.
- Drew Carey / Bob Barker
- Ben Bernanke / Alan Greenspan
- George Seifert / Bill Walsh
- Jennifer Lopez / Simon Cowell
- Pope Benedict XVI / Pope John Paul II