Karl Lagerfeld Buys Historic Vermont Mansion

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Oct 8th 2008 at 12:02PM

Flamboyant Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld has bought a historic mansion on an island in Vermont's rustic Lake Champlain. Lagerfeld never visited the 1840 six-bedroom landmark in person, but made the purchase based solely on photographs. "I love it. It's very much Emily Dickinson," Lagerfeld told WWD backstage at the Chanel show in Paris. We suspect he may be referring to the poet's picturesque houses in Amherst, Mass.

Lagerfeld tells the paper the Lake Champlain landscape reminds him of Northern Europe, and says he's planning an elegant yet still fashionable New England-appropriate décor rather than his usual Sun King splendor. He did not reveal the property's price, but declared, "I'll start doing the Chanel campaigns there" - so he obviously plans to write it off as business expense.

Tags: Chanel, Grand Isle, GrandIsle, Karl Lagerfeld, KarlLagerfeld, Lake Champlain, LakeChamplain, Vermont

Filed under: Estates

Subscribe to these comments

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Spectacular Bid Oct 8th 2008 3:30PM

Any further details on the property itself?

Interesting purchase albeit rather under the radar otherwise. There are very few islands with estate type homes on Lake Champlain and even fewer ever come on the market. Many estates are on the shores of the Lake, like Shelburn Farms, but true island estates? Very rare.

I cannot recall any island home in the last year being marketed so I assume this was an unsolicited purchase.

The last estate-like property I can recall being marketed was a few years ago, sold by a Sotheby's affiliate, was Fish Bladder Island. It had a smaller historic 19th century lodge on the 8-acre or so property. In 2007 it burned to the ground.

JPS Oct 8th 2008 3:32PM

No further details unfortunately, but let me know if you find out anything and I'll do likewise. Sort of hard to picture the Kaiser in those surroundings...

DAVE Oct 28th 2008 7:00AM

TO FINALLY PUT MATTERS STRAIGHT......
THE MANSION AND 103 ACRES OF LAND WITH A CARETAKER'S HOUSE IS BEING SOLD TO CAMP TAKUMTA.ORG. IT IS A CAMP FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE OR HAVE HAD CANCER.

THE BILL WILLY FAMILY HAS BEEN A FRIEND OF CAMP TAKUMTA FOR OVER 20 YRS AND KNEW THAT THE LOCAL CATHOIC DIOCESE WOULD NO LONGER BE PROVIDING ITS LAKESHORE PROPERTY FOR CAMP TAKUMTA'S USE AFTER 24 YEARS.

THE WILLYS ESSENTIALLY GAVE IT TO CAMP TAKUMTA FOR A SONG. CAMP TKT'S MAJOR CAPITAL FUND RAISING CAMPAIGN BEGINS IN 11/08. IT IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST DEAL EITHER SIDE COULD HAVE EVER MADE!!!

CHECK OUT CAMPTAKUMTA.ORG

Cat Oct 9th 2008 1:46PM

I believe he purchased the Sawyer Bay Farm listed with Land Vest, ref. # VT0490. The Farm website is here - http://www.sawyerbayfarm.com/

Spectacular Bid Oct 10th 2008 12:32PM

If Cat is correct with 'Sawyer Bay Farm' then any reference to the purchase being 'a historic mansion on an island' is in complete disagreement. No island aspect at all.

Frankly there are more historic and beautiful farms and estates (IMHO) to be found on the shores of Champ.

Example - In July 2006 LandVest sold "Grosse Pointe" a massive gilded age stone estate in Ferrisburg VT (on Lake Champlain) for $8,443,250 per VT records. Peerless with anything offered on the Lake in recent memory with 430 acres, farm complex, woods, an elevated point where the mansion stands overlooking the Lake from any room, etc. It is owned today by the founder of IDX Systems Corporation which was acquired by GE Heathcare.

http://www.forbes.com/realestate/2004/08/31/cx_bs_0831how.html

JPS Oct 10th 2008 12:37PM

Well he did say it was on an island, but hard to know for certain with so few details. It doesn't seem like Sawyer Bay particularly fits his Emily Dickinson description either, at least not the newer buildings. Hopefully more info. will emerge.

Dave Ghindin Oct 10th 2008 8:14AM

seems like the whole fashion community is up and relocating to Vermont.. some fashion magazine just launched out of there, too:

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080930/netu071.html?.v=65

Wade Weathers Oct 14th 2008 5:49PM

The only property that fits that description is Fish Island (formerly known as Fishbladder Island) located off the east shore of South Hero in the area of Lake Champlain known as the Inland Sea. This is a roughly 10 acre island with a wonderful late 1800's Adirondack great camp that had was destroyed by fire last fall. (see http://www.miltonindy.com/10.04.07fire.html).

Although Sawyer Bay Farm is the subject of a sales contract, it is not being purchased by Karl Lagerfeld.

JPS Oct 14th 2008 5:52PM

So if the camp burned down, that means there's no house on the property? That wouldn't seem to jibe with Lagerfeld's description. Of course, having spoken with KL in the past I can attest to his very thick accent, so perhaps the reporter misconstrued something.

Spectacular Bid Oct 16th 2008 11:54AM

Worth noting as an aside it is very impressive to see Wade's posting. If anyone knows as to what Karl bought in New England he would know. LandVest is THE firm for NE sales outside of Rhode Island. Although as I recall Fish Bladder was sold by the VT niche firm of Lang, Lion & Davis.

Jennifer Oct 24th 2008 7:36PM

We live on the island in Lake Champlain where Lagerfeld bought his new home. It was a private listing. No, it was not the Sawyer Bay property. If you want to live close to Karl, there are several homes on the lake available through Sotheby's. The Sweeny Farm property is a gem.

JPS Oct 24th 2008 7:38PM

Thanks. Can you tell us any more about the property Lagerfeld bought?

Jennifer Oct 24th 2008 8:21PM

Here's a map of the area: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=grand+isle+vermont&ie=UTF8&ll=44.765262,-73.27589&spn=0.014686,0.038624&t=h&z=15

It's in Grand Isle, Vermont. It's a Greek Revival home built in 1850, and it's on the Vermont Historic Registry. The price was under a million. There are numerous second home owners in the area -- from Montreal, Florida and New York -- but no well-known international celebrities. Until now, the Champlain islands have been a well-kept secret. Karl Lagerfeld will be here next week for a Channel photo shoot. We are past peak fall foliage season, but its still gorgeous on our end of the lake.

Jennifer Oct 24th 2008 8:23PM

whoops of course that was "Chanel."

Yes, there are many other estates for sale up here much larger than Lagerfeld's new property. In terms of price and privacy, he got a great deal.