Another day, another opportunity for Karl Lagerfeld to talk smack about a new woman’s physical appearance. After taking a moment recently to bestow praise on the Duchess— “Kate Middleton has a nice silhouette…I like that kind of woman. I like romantic beauties,”—he redirected his gaze. ”On the other hand, her sister struggles. I don’t like the sister’s face. She should only show her back.”
Moments like this always lead me to wonder how exactly to classify Karl Lagerfeld: 1. Mostly crazy and a little mean? or 2. Really mean and just a little bit crazy? Invariably, I go for option two. And then I add a heaping dose of self-loathing into the mix. People are rarely such unkind judges of others unless they’re coming from a place of some rather deep self-contempt themselves.
Beth Ditto put it best, though, when a reporter from the London Evening Standard asked her a while back what she thought of Lagerfeld calling Adele fat:
“I don’t think Adele would deny that she was fat. And I bet she doesn’t. Karl Lagerfeld used to be fat himself, so you gotta think about that. He’s obviously not proud of that fact. I also think that people give him way too much power! He’s just an eccentric designer who makes amazing art but doesn’t always say the coolest shit. And the way I feel about Adele is, I doubt, and I hope, and I’m pretty confident that she does not think about Karl Lagerfeld, ever.”
Why buy clothes from someone who doesn’t like women? Seriously, why? There are other things you can buy, people.
It’s not any different than buying things from companies that are anti-gay.
I am so with you. The man was/is/always has been a misogynist, and while I like his photography, frankly, his designs are derivative at best. I think his real talent lies in making himself a scary caricature of a pinched fashion designer.
Agreed!
Beth Ditto is my new hero! So well spoken. Just because someone says it doesn’t make it true, and these mean comments reflect a lot more about Mr. Lagerfeld than anyone he is referring to.
Things like this go a long way toward creating a love/hate dichotomy (for me, anyway) about fashion and it’s supporting industries. I love art and style and the beauty that comes from those things. But arrogant, sexist elitism drives me batshit crazy–and those things seem practically mandatory in the fashion industry.
I was a longtime fan of your work at Lucky, Kim,and it’s why I love GOACA–you can appreciate style and still put it into healthy perspective.
Probably not a great way to get Kate to wear your clothes. I can’t imagine she’d wear them after he’s talked smack about her sister like that. What a cad.
There is a reason Karl is never seen without his fan and I don’t think its anything to do with the heat.
I love what Beth Ditto said and I totally agree.
My opinion of Kunty Karl is that he’s a mean, unhappy old man and I feel sorry for him.
Jealous, insecure, mean and 100% bonkers. It’s the kill or be killed mentality, isn’t it? Say mean things about others before they say mean things about me.
Did anyone suggest totally coked out and then you may add any adjs that you wish . . .
Look at him. He’s a freak and most likely has several personality disorders. I don’t think he’s a misogynist. Just a creepy guy.
My first thought was that I will never buy anything Lagerfeld designs…though i have been dreaming of quilted things recently. My second thought was let the man be an eccentric ass. Must everyone smooth out their rough edges? People do have these nasty thoughts from time to time and being hyper famous does seem to create people lacking filters.
And anyway, Kate’s sister is gorgeous and Adele too.
I am interested by your thought that Lagerfeld is consumed by self-loathing. When I read his comment on Pippa, I thought, “Boy, this guy must think pretty damn highly of himself to be able to sit judgment on others and not give fig whether, by doing so, he becomes a subject of scorn.” Self-loathing, hmmmm…. maybe you are right… I did miss some of Psych 101 back in the college days….
I love a good old-fashioned call-out and this was long overdue. KL admits that he wears his sunglasses all the time to cut out the gaze of other human beings. That says just as much as any snarkiness, does it not? And anyway are you really going to listen to the ancient pony-tailed dude with the skull rings? I didn’t think so.
I was so completely thrilled that Raf Simons showed the world with his first show at Dior that we really no longer need all of the silliness to design fantastic garments made to make women look and feel their best.
The profile a year or 2 (or more?)back in the New Yorker forever cemented him in my mind as just plain ol’ batshit crazy. It’s alllll just the rantings of a crazy guy.
he is just old and has lost his filter.