Hundreds of Unique iPods From Karl Lagerfeld's Collection Now on Auction - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Hundreds of Unique iPods From Karl Lagerfeld's Collection Now on Auction

Hundreds of unique Apple iPods that belonged to the late designer Karl Lagerfeld are being auctioned by Sotheby's (via MacStories).

ipod karl lagerfeld
Lagerfeld was a renowned German fashion designer who passed away in 2019. The auction features a range of custom iPods, including uniquely decorated models and rare first-generation devices. Each iPod is meticulously loaded with curated music.

According to graphic novelist Warren Ellis, "Lagerfeld famously had an 'iPod nanny' to digitize his collection for the iPods and to add new music to new devices. This is how he ended up with over 300 of them – he treated them like cassette tapes."

ipod karl lagerfeld 2
Lagerfeld's collection also included other Apple devices, such as iPads, which he reportedly used as digital sketchbooks and diaries. Despite owning several iPhones, Lagerfeld avoided using email and instead maintained a preference for handwritten correspondence.

The auction is part of a broader sale of Lagerfeld's estate featuring over 200 lots, providing a comprehensive look into his personal and professional life. It closes on January 31.

Related Forum: iPod touch and iPod

Popular Stories

iOS 27 Next to iPhone

Here's When iOS 27 Rolls Out Today in Every Time Zone [Update: It's Out]

Sunday September 13, 2026 3:00 am PDT by
Update 10:04 a.m.: iOS 27 is rolling out now, though it may take a bit for all users to see it, so keep checking! Apple is about to release iOS 27, which will finally deliver more advanced Siri AI capabilities as well as a variety of other refinements, improvements, and new features to iPhones. It's Apple's biggest software update of the year, and Apple announced at Wednesday's iPhone event...
iOS 27 Icon iPhone

iOS 27 Available Today With These 8 New Features

Monday September 14, 2026 9:00 am PDT by
Update: Apple has released iOS 27. During its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo event last week, Apple announced that iOS 27 will be released widely on Monday, September 14. iOS 27 should be available around 10 a.m. Pacific Time / 1 p.m. Eastern Time today via the Settings app, under General → Software Update. Below, we have highlighted eight new features and changes coming with iOS...
deep black iphone 18 pro

Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Sold in U.S. Differs in One Way

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:27 pm PDT by
As noted by Nicolas Lellouche, who writes for the French tech website Numerama, Apple has updated its tech specs pages for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to clarify which models are equipped with its new C2 cellular modem and where. Apple now says the iPhone 18 Pro has a C2 modem worldwide, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses the chip in every country except for the U.S. According...

Top Rated Comments

Spock Avatar
21 months ago

I'd like to see an iPod Anniversary Edition release, ideally built from "off the shelf" m.2 where one can easily get 4TB of m.2 right now for < $200. So put classic Apple markup on it and a 4TB iPod "Special Edition" could sell for around the original- $449-$499.

And I'd be first in line to buy it... ideally with the original pure iPod type OS instead of iPod Touch... but I'd roll with the latter if that's how it had to be.

I suspect nostalgia alone could move a crowd to buy one too. Segments of people are buying modern repackaging of far more ancient tech such as game consoles from the 1970s-1990s.

Why make one of these? Why not just use virtual iPod on iPhone? iPod doesn't have the expensive "tail" of ongoing cell service. $499 is a LOT less than $799+. 4000GB is a LOT, LOT more storage than 128GB. Etc.

Just my opinion... but I'm still rocking a 5th GEN iPod Classic for a very useful/specific use. It seems doomed to conk sooner than later and I'd like a replacement that is NOT a phone or tablet.
I always thought it would be cool to make at least make one more generation of the iPod Classic with support for syncing Apple Music playlists and full switching AirPods support. Ultra thin like the nano, higher end DAC so it sounds good and a headphone jack.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Spock Avatar
21 months ago

The collection would be better suited for a museum so it could be viewed as a whole. Apple should purchase the entire collection.
Apple does not care about these iPods. And all I see is some rich person that used expensive devices as disposable items because he could. They are overpriced and I am guessing that most of them don't work.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
21 months ago
I'd like to see an iPod Anniversary Edition release, ideally built from "off the shelf" m.2 where one can easily get 4TB of m.2 right now for < $200 (at retail, buying just a single unit). So put classic Apple markup on it and a 4TB iPod "Special Edition" could sell for around the original- $449-$499.

And I'd be first in line to buy it... ideally with the original pure iPod type OS instead of iPod Touch... but I'd roll with the latter if that's how it had to be.

I suspect nostalgia alone could move a crowd to buy one too. Segments of people are buying modern repackaging of far more ancient tech such as game consoles from the 1970s-1990s.

Why make one of these? Why not just use virtual iPod on iPhone? iPod doesn't have the expensive "tail" of ongoing cell service. $499 is a LOT less than $799+. 4000GB is a LOT, LOT more storage than 128GB. Etc.

Now if Apple jumped on the idea but decided to use it's "magical", proprietary storage where the 4TB upgrade is $1200 by itself, this iPod would be priced far too high and loses any appeal whatsoever to me. But use "off the shelf" storage as they did with actual iPods back in the day and they can get their fat margin while keeping the retail price accessible.

Just my opinion... but I'm still rocking a 5th GEN iPod Classic for a very useful/specific use. It seems doomed to conk sooner than later and I'd like a replacement that is NOT a phone or tablet.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
21 months ago

I always thought it would be cool to make at least make one more generation of the iPod Classic with support for syncing Apple Music playlists and full switching AirPods support. Ultra thin like the nano, higher end DAC so it sounds good and a headphone jack.
I'd be completely there, beyond first in line (breaking into the store before it opens to get one and just leave the money on the counter). ;)
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
21 months ago
The collection would be better suited for a museum so it could be viewed as a whole. Apple should purchase the entire collection.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SamRyouji Avatar
21 months ago

To this day, with nearly every product they release, I find myself wishing for "way more color!"

It's incredibly boring to have these muted shades of XYZ colors that barely pop in the slightest

No fun - no personality ... just "blah"
True. I think the era of soft / muted / pastels should end. I'd love myself a set of Mondrian colors like Karl's iPod nanos. Could Apple be courageous enough to at least release a Product(RED) iPad and/or MacBook?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)