I'm not sure how I ended up on the fashion/paparazzi beat, but here we are.

Last week, Seven Days Blurted a report from Women's Wear Daily that Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld bought property in Vermont. Lagerfeld told a WWD reporter that he had purchased "a six-bedroom, 1840 landmark building" on an island in Lake Champlain.

This morning, we got a call from Karin Ericson, formerly of Grand Isle, who claims that Lagerfeld bought her house, pictured here. It's a 3800 sq. ft. Greek Revival home built in 1850, and it's on the Vermont Historic Registry. Amenities include a small apple orchard, a couple pear trees, a paneled library and an awesome view of the lake.

Ericson says she sold it because she and her husband, David, were downsizing and moving to Burlington. They held onto it long enough to take their daughter's wedding photos on the property. "It's really a unique house," she says.

Ericson, who happens to be a real estate agent, says she's never met Lagerfeld. She's been dealing with another Vermont agent, who was negotiating for an unnamed corporate buyer. She says she kept joking that she was selling her house to Elton John, because of his recent visit to Vermont.

What tipped her off that she was selling her house to the iconic German designer? A piece of mail addressed to him arrived before the closing. Then she read the WWD report, and saw the item in Seven Days, which prompted her to call.

So, is this, in fact, Lagerfeld's new U.S. home? Seven Days political columnist Shay Totten dropped by the Grand Isle town clerk's office to check out the paperwork. The house is registered to "Perso Holdings, N.V." The purchase price was just over half a mil. But Karl Lagerfeld didn't sign any of the documents, so I guess we won't know for sure until he turns up at the Blue Paddle Bistro or the Keeler Bay Variety Store. 

Karin Ericson is convinced that Lagerfeld bought the historic house, and she's thrilled. She's glad the new owner is someone who will appreciate the beauty of the property, and be "a good steward." "I'm sure he'll make it a showcase while retaining its historical details," she says.