Lagerfeld muse Anna Piaggi dies aged 81

Anna Piaggi, the fashion journalist who inspired the designer Karl Lagerfeld, died yesterday in Milan aged 81, according to Vogue Italia magazine.

Ms Piaggi stood out in the front rows of Milan and Paris shows, dressed in her eccentric outfits, including elaborate hats and theatrical make-up. She provided inspiration for Lagerfeld, who published a sketchbook of her creations and once wrote: "Anna invents fashion."

Her extensive wardrobe collection, including thousands of dresses and hundreds of pairs of shoes, was the subject of an exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 2006.