Who Is Hudson Kroenig, Karl Lagerfeld's Adorable Sidekick?

With the passing of Karl Lagerfeld today, the fashion industry is taking a closer look at the legendary designer's inner circle. His right-hand woman, Virginie Viard, his over-the-top kitty cat, Choupette, and his favorite runway companion, Hudson Kroenig, are all getting a bit of attention, but who exactly is the pint-sized model that walked with "Uncle Karl" at so many Chanel fashion shows? The tiny tot is the son of model Brad Kroenig, one of Lagerfeld's favorite male models.

Brad and Lagerfeld met on the set of a shoot for V Man and he subsequently became a muse to the designer. He was one of Lagerfeld's favorites, so much so that the designer dedicated an entire book to photographs of him. Brad was so appreciative of the way that Lagerfeld fostered his career that when he had a son in 2009, he asked Lagerfeld to be the kiddo's godfather. It was an honor that Karl took to immediately.

In an interview with the Times Lagerfeld said that since he had no sons of his own, he treated his favorite models and Hudson like family.

"I see the boys like family. I have no family at all," he said. "So it's good to have, like, sons, but without the unpleasant problems sons can create."

Unlike his famous dad, Hudson's mom stays away from the spotlight. According to the Daily Mail, the family lives in the United States, but Karl often invites Hudson and his father to far-off locales for Chanel shows. In his debut, he walked hand-in-hand with his dad in custom-made Chanel outfits and in subsequent shows, Hudson's walked out with Karl himself during his final bow.

But it's not just fashion shows — Hudson's also appeared in Lagerfeld's book celebrating Chanel's famed jacket, Little Black Jacket, as well as editorial spreads in W Magazine and German Vogue. With a résumé that rivals the full-grown models on the runway, not to mention his pedigree, it's clear that Hudson's got what it takes to make it big in fashion.