From Miami to Tangier, via the French Riviera, Cascais and the Hamptons, the biggest names in fashion have found summer retreats far from the catwalks and spotlights where they can express their creative genius.
Legendary villas, family homes, secret workshops, and castles—each of these exceptional places embodies the spirit, audacity, and art of living of their famous owners. This summer, LUXUS MAGAZINE takes you on a weekly tour of a prestigious residence: a journey in nine episodes through the iconic vacation spots of the world’s greatest fashion designers.
For the seventh episode of our summer series dedicated to creators’ retreats, we head to Monaco and La Vigie, a sumptuous villa that was Karl Lagerfeld‘s personal palace for over a decade.
La Vigie © SBM
In the 1980s, the Riviera regained its prestige under the impetus of a new generation of designers and patrons. At the top of the Monegasque rock, an immaculate white silhouette stands out like a classic mirage: La Vigie, a Belle Époque building overlooking the Mediterranean. Long neglected, it was reborn thanks to a man who left nothing to chance: Karl Lagerfeld. The visionary couturier, then at the height of his creative powers, made it the setting for his lavish summers. A place to live, party, and reflect, where the baroque meets the Mediterranean.
Set back from public roads and accessible only by a small lane, the villa offers rare privacy. “It’s the safest place in the world,” he told W magazine in 1988 « It’s impossible to get close to the place. There are no public roads nearby, and you have to go through two gates to get in. The house doesn’t even have an address, so no one can write to me here ».
A forgotten palace steeped in history
Built in 1902 by Sir William Ingram, a British aristocrat and politician, the Villa La Vigie takes its name from Cap de la Veille, a name derived from a local legend about a witch who lived in a cave on La Barma beach. From the moment it was designed, this 600-square-meter neoclassical villa, spread over three floors, stood out as an architectural masterpiece. With its majestic columns, high ceilings adorned with moldings, and marble floors, it embodies the Belle Époque style, combining refinement and grandeur.
Over the decades, the villa has had an eventful history. During World War II, La Vigie was occupied by the German army, who dug a bunker in the nearby hill because of its strategic location overlooking the Mediterranean. It then fell into oblivion until it was acquired by the Société des Bains de Mer de Monaco (SBM) in 1952, which partially restored it.
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Featured photo: montage of Karl Lagerfeld portrait and La Vigie © SBM
