Karl Lagerfeld is 84 years old. I’m not using his age as an excuse for what he says, I’m just noting a fact: he’s been on this earth for 84 years. And for much of those 84 years, he’s been one of the biggest bitches in the world. You just have to sort of roll with the punches with Lagerfeld: he’s either an acquired taste and you find him rather funny, or you’ve always loathed him. Personally, while I find some of what he says to be rather reprehensible for a man in his position, I also think he’s trying to be a grumpy provocateur. With that in mind, Lagerfeld gave an interview to Numero and this piece is full of fantastically bitchy and downright terrible quotes. You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:
Whether he wants a funeral: “How awful! There will be no burial. I’d rather die… I’ve asked to be cremated and for my ashes to dispersed with those of my mother… and those of Choupette [Karl Lagerfeld’s cat], if she dies before me.
Whether Azzedine Alaia lacked talent: “I didn’t say that. I never said anything, I don’t criticise him, even if at the end of his career all he did was make ballet slippers for menopausal fashion victims.
On International Women’s Day: “For me Women’s Day is every day of the year. Men’s fashion does little for me. I buy it of course, and I’m delighted that Hedi [Slimane] is going to Céline but drawing a men’s collection and having to put up with all those stupid models, no thanks. Not to mention the fact with all their accusations of harassment they have become quite toxic. No, no, no, don’t leave me alone with one of those sordid creatures.
What he thinks of #MeToo: “I’m fed up with it. I don’t even eat pig [in France the movement’s known as #BalanceTonPorc] What shocks me most in all of this are the starlets who have taken 20 years to remember what happened. Not to mention the fact there are no prosecution witnesses. That said I cannot stand Mr Weinstein. I had a problem with him at amfAR [the amfAR Gala is organised during the Cannes Film Festival in the fight against AIDS] …No, it wasn’t of a sexual nature, but a professional one. I’ll spare you the details, but he isn’t exactly what you might call a man of his word.
Whether #MeToo has affected the way he works: “Absolutely not. I read somewhere that now you must ask a model if she is comfortable with posing. It’s simply too much, from now on, as a designer, you can’t do anything. As for the accusations against the poor Karl Templar [creative director at Interview magazine], I don’t believe a single word of it. A girl complained he tried to pull her pants down and he is instantly excommunicated from a profession that up until then had venerated him. It’s unbelievable. If you don’t want your pants pulled about, don’t become a model! Join a nunnery, there’ll always be a place for you in the convent. They’re recruiting even!
He’s grown a goatee: “I had one in the famous portrait of me taken by Helmut Newton 40 years ago, and I wanted to rediscover the feeling of having one again, to see if after all these years, it was still just as bothersome. What is funny is that with all these whiskers I look a lot like Choupette… we’re really like an old couple. In fact, she maintains it for me, we sleep on the same pillow and she spends her life licking it.
Choupette is one of his heirs: “Among others, yes. Don’t worry, there is enough for everyone.
His personal assistant Sébastien Jondeau: “Sébastien corresponds with a certain kind of man aged 35 – 40 who cannot find anything to wear. He embodies a male canon that is the complete opposite of those skinny things with wonky teeth we generally see on runways… They certainly don’t run the risk of getting harassed. To be honest what they really need is a good dentist.
Before we get into his #MeToo criticism, I’d just like to say that I sort of want this on a t-shirt: “I don’t criticise him, even if at the end of his career all he did was make ballet slippers for menopausal fashion victims.” Lagerfeld could sell those t-shirts and people would buy them. As for his #MeToo bulls–t… as I said, he’s trying to be provocative. “What shocks me most in all of this are the starlets who have taken 20 years to remember what happened. Not to mention the fact there are no prosecution witnesses.” The starlets didn’t take 20 years to “remember.” They always remembered, and many of them even told people what happened to them at the time. And they weren’t believed or they were actively silenced or a million other things happened.
“If you don’t want your pants pulled about, don’t become a model! Join a nunnery, there’ll always be a place for you in the convent.” That’s a disgusting thing to say.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
He won’t be missed once he leaves this earth..
What about Karl making neon sneakers for silicon enhanced fashion victims?
Oh yes he will. Maybe not by you, but I find him delightful and so do countless others.
yvrjanice: I do too. The snippets of this interview are hilarious.
@people who find him delightful, how ‘delightful’ of you.
Though conditioned to like men who shit on women is probably a better description.
I find him delightful and honest, too.
The women who really hurt other women are the models and actresses who exchange sex for a coveted job, but now that they have earned their money are complaining about it.
Those type of women really hurt the women who refuse to engage in sexual favors for a better job.
Karl is just telling it like it is. These complaining women should have said “no” from the get go, but they did not.
If they feel degraded and humiliated that is mainly because they degraded and humiliated themselves.
Just stuff him in the closet with his skeletons.
They need the company.
The skeletons don’t want that crypt keeper
Alright, who let Uncle Karl out of his casket again?
Lol!
Can’t keep a bad man with a white cat down, you know. Just ask James Bond.
Ha!! 🙂
@ankhel – lol – best comment!
Ha! And, ditto to what RBC said above–Uncle Karl, the original Crypt Keeper.
Has Lagerfeld even done anything relevant lately?
The most relevant thing lately? Promoting Choupette the cat.
His only redeeming feature is his love of Choupette.
Although I was charmed by Lagerfeld’s adoration of Choupette, I was appalled to learn he stole the cat. I understand that he was cat-sitting for a friend and refused to return the cat to its owner.
He jumped the shark as soon as I saw him doing clear plastic boots, a la kayne, for chanel. When you start quoting kayne you are dead to me. Talk about fashion victimhood.
What a misogynistic old fool. Rose McGowan is right. How does he get away with saying this sh_t?
I think he’s an equal opportunity hater. What he says about male models – “skinny things with wonky teeth”, who are apparently so heinous they need not fear being harassed, isn’t much better than the comments at women. He’s saying that these male models cannot possibly be sexually harassed, raped, etc. because they are so unattractive.
Speaking of getting away with it—went to the Tate Modern this week to see the Picasso 1932 exhibit—whose lead image, the Dream, is of Marie-Therese with an erect penis on her head. Raised an eyebrow when the audio tour starting talking about how great it must have been for her to have been recognized/singled out by Picasso—all the rays of his genius shining on her.
He was a brilliant artist but one of the worst human beings ever to pick up a paint brush. Truly a sociopath who hated women and enjoyed emotionally torturing them. He had no feelings for other people and was unbelievably cruel.
I think at this point, most people expect Karl to say the silliest crap. He isn’t one to beat around the bush, he dislikes everyone equally.
Rose McGowan only complained about sexual harassment, after she got her acting jobs and was famous.
Why didn’t she refuse the job and complain right away?
Rose McGowan was part of the Hollywood problem. She exchanged sexual favors without complaint in order to advance her career.
Shame on her for not coming forward immediately and refusing the acting job.
Goth grandpa should have a Snickers.
and then he can turn back into Roseanne.
Honey, when I heard Kunty Karl had thoughts on #metoo, I already knew what we’d hear. He’s being disrespectful just for the sake of it.
Moxie Remon, it has just gone 11pm here, and my daughter was trying to sleep. I laughed so hard and so loudly at your comment that she came bounding down the stairs, thinking I’d fallen and injured myself! I cannot stop giggling; it’s just so funny seeing it in print! 😂 😂😂 I loathe this person. Someone please put him back in the casket and screw the lid down really tightly.
I feel like the #metoo disdain is growing honestly. I feel like anytime you mention metoo to someone in real in real life, people just roll their eyes and they tell you an anecdote as to why they think metoo has gone too far. And it’s not just men saying these things, plenty of women as well.
I feel like sometimes the movement is laying it on so thick that it runs the risk of infantilizing women. Turning women into fragile creatures who should be protected at all cost, remember those fainting couches/smelling salts? One of my local radio stations had a segment about how there was talk of removing ring girls from boxing/ufc because in the age of #metoo that is sexist. The consensus was if you don’t want to be a ring girl? Don’t become one. No need to eliminate the whole thing, give women the CHOICE. Like you don’t want to be a model that designers are treating like a hanger? Don’t model. *run for cover*.
*Sarcasm on*: Well there you go. Some people are taking things too far so an entirely valid movement is “too much”. You know a small number of animal rights activists value animal life over human life…so clearly we should shut down the SPCA. *Sarcasm off*. Ridiculous.
This is classic gaslighting. Oh but you’re a strong woman they say! You don’t need MeToo! You’re fine. Hell you know what, in truth I am fine. My workplace has equal pay policies and good HR. I’m lucky. But I’m thinking of millions of women who aren’t fine.
Also your local radio station are morons. It isn’t about not having ring girls. It’s about if you have ring girls don’t rape, sexually abuse, harass them, stiff them on pay, etc. If MMA is talking about not having ring girls it means they don’t trust themselves not to allow the things I’ve just mentioned. Think about that.
**Men promptly burst into tears, wet their pants, and start screaming and crying that “waaaah, not all men!! This is too hard! You’re taking this to far!” Then fall to the ground and throw a tantrum” (Metaphorically).**
I feel only pity for the women you’ve encountered who think this. The men? Yeah, same old same old.
Oh sweetie. #youtriedit
Gee, I never knew it was this simple. We can just CHOOSE not to be abused and keep our mouths shut!! Why didn’t I think of that?!?
I hope you realize that you are conflating a CHOICE (and I’m sure we could argue that one too) with being harassed, assaulted, and abused, which no one “chooses.” That’s literally not even what #metoo is about.
@Anon33…I think you completely misunderstood my comment. OF COURSE women don’t choose to be abused and harassed. And the blame for abuse stand firmly on the abusers shoulders alone. My comment was about giving women the choice to take part in something or not take part if they don’t want to wether it’s modeling or being a ring girl for example. Like I think stripping is completely demeaning and toxic so I would not make that choice for myself but I’m not going to ask that all strip club be closed because *I* don’t like it.
It’s not that being a model or a ring girl is inherently demeaning. It’s the way they’re treated by others that can cross the line.
There are a lot of implicit beliefs on how attractive women marketing that attractiveness should accept being treated that goes beyond a career choice. That’s what all those people are paranoid about. They know that they routinely cross the line and not just find the woman attractive but demean her as part of the experience and they’re pissed that they need to be more aware of their behavior because there actually might be repercussions.
Also, if you go into a strip club and misbehave, you’re getting kicked out. It’s understood and accepted that there are rules and security because there is still major potential for abusive behavior that has nothing to do with the act of stripping. Because there are many people who think that women marketing their attractiveness should have to put up with abusive and demeaning behavior even though that has nothing to do with performing the actual job.
Weak trolling. If someone doesn’t want their career destroyed for being a creep, then they should have made the choice to NOT pull down someone’s pants.
Oh, Hope. At the start of your comment I had hope (!) that you’d present us with an innovative idea about how to change the ambivalence towards #MeToo that you’ve encountered into something positive. Instead… *sigh* 😔
Hope,
The only reason ring girls were created is to give a 1/2 boner to the guys watching them.
Is this really the fight for freedom and liberty you find the most important to defend?
No by all means, only defend the starched suit serious jobs. Because you get to decide what’s most valuable and we can only defend some of these jobs…
All I got from this comment is victim blaming. Don’t want it, don’t do it. That whole spill. Women, children, male models who want to do what they love but can’t because other people can’t control themselves. And furthermore there are people like you to blame them for it. Instead of making the actual perpetrators answer for it.
you know #metoo spans all professions right? So you don’t want to get harrassed, don’t be a doctor, writer, lawyer, law clerk, engineer, professor student, therapist, teacher, secretary, chemist, model or boxing ring girl.
Just stay at home and have kids, or be a teacher or nurse or nun in another woman dominated area right? That is the only place women are safe.
But, while we are at it, What about canceling marriage, since there is a lot of coerced sex in marriage?
Why don’t we dress in head to toe coverings since I am sure there was never ever assault or harassment of women when women knew to stay covered up. /sarcasm
Harassment happens even in women dominated fields. Many nurses and teachers will tell you that. And nuns have been victims of rape so that is also not a safe place.
@DOMINO…No No No, I NEVER implied any of this. You are doing some major projecting here but whatever I know this is a touchy subject.
It isn’t about the ring girls. They were using that as a cover to bash an entire movement. I think ring girls are sexist, but it isn’t a big deal to me. That is for women who are ring girls to address.
Their attitude is just another way to try to make women responsible for men’s behavior and choices.
They are infantilizing themselves. If they have no self-control, then they aren’t adults and are like toddlers who can’t understand boundaries.
I don’t like treating women as helpless beings, but #metoo isn’t about that. It is about men learning to behave with respect and women speaking about assault and harassment.
These guys are just mad that THEY have to become responsible for themselves.
Thanks Magnoliarose for a sensible comment and not the knee jerk reaction
Well said.
I don’t think you understand #metoo at all if you think a simple switch of professions stops all, or that because a woman is a model someone can just do whatever they want to her. Now would be a good time to read the thoughtful replies to you and revisit your assumptions.
I think I need to clarify my comment. Outside of the bubble of CB which is the ONLY site that I can stomach the comments, A LOT of people have reservations about *some* aspect of #metoo, we can pretend otherwise but it’s true. In no way shape or form did I imply that women choose to be abused. My use of the word choice was in regards to certain professions/situation that I think women ought to decide for themselves. And I gave the radio station segment as an example because it was fresh in my since I watched UFC last night and there was a ring girl in a black bikini. That radio segment was not about abuse which EVERYONE should agree is unaceptable whether you’re wearing a suit or booty shorts, at church or on a nude beach it was about whether parading ring side in a bikini is mysoginistic and sexist and whether that practice should be abolished all together. They concluded that this type of stuff should be a choice that women should be allowed to make for themselves. It wasn’t the worst things I’ve heard honestly. For the record I’m a woman of color who is from a country where woman are treated like second class citizens so I know a thing or two about mysoginy and abuse and being treated like sh*t just because of my gender.
@Hope 1. The fact you equate “we shouldn’t let women wear bikinis” with “hey stop abusing me” and and have absolutely no defense for your disgusting statements about models are asking for it indicates how little you understand, both about #metoo and life in general. 2. Women of all ethnicities from all countries can be garbage people with garbage opinions, imagine!!
Where did Hope say that she thinks models are asking for it?!
The metoo movement doesn’t really extend to certain international countries.
Countries where a lot of us have grown up and have had to face the most disgusting things.
Hope:
I agree with you.
As a woman I, too, disdain the “metoo movement”.
These women all had a choice.
As a career women who did refuse to exchange sexual favors for career advancement, I was often overlooked because some other women would exchange sexual favors.
Still, I managed to survive and get ahead by being a superlative worker.
They can only have so many airheads who will exchange sex for a better job, but really do not have the skills to be a doctor, actor, accountant, journalist, etc, working at a company without the company failing.
A company typically has to find a good balance of airhead women to serious no nonsense women with the proper skill set to stay in business. “nuff said”
I am sick of crybaby women who were all too eager to use sexuality to procure a position they did not deserve, but then years later they are outraged. Weird.
Although I like most of his fashion designs I also dislike him as a person. I wish I could read about his opinions when he was younger to compare them with his opinions now. People’s flaws become accentuated when they grow older so Lagerfeld may be a misogynistic a-hole from way back.
Nope. Nothing cute about this.
I’m not surprised. A lot of men are dismissive towards this movement because it forces them to think twice about how they view women. Karl maybe gay but a lot of male fashion designers are and they view women as mannequins. Of course he wouldn’t have a single care for how uncomfortable he or anyone else might make them.
What does Choupette have to say?
Best comment ever! 🐈 😂
#meowtoo
No this is the best comment ever!
Priceless! 😂
@Birdix — that is purrfect!!!! 🙂
@birdix – Hahahaha! Awesome!
“Darlings, I am using this wicked old beast for all the food and satin pillows and feline jewelry I can purr my way into, and when he kicks it, I shall be sending half my inheritance to #metoo. Meanwhile, I lick his beard after I clean my my bum. You’re welcome, sisters.”
Edit: ha, love it Birdix
I’ve always found the man repulsive. I’m not sure why he’s been so revered.
I frequently forget this guy is still living.
😂
It’s time for the urn.
The irony of an 84 year old using “menopausal” as an insult. But I forget, men are allowed to age but women should just cease existing at 34 and they definitely shouldn’t be fashionable when they reach menopause. F*%k this fool.
Karl is only interested in young and beautiful. Menopausal women are invisible to him.
Look at him know. He got the face he deserved. His inner ugliness has seeped through.
My take on it is much, much harsher. I think Lagerfield is feeling defensive about all the models he harassed.
He is one of the people who has done amazing things as far as designs and fashion. He revived Chanel and his shows used to be happening, and it is still a prestigious name for a CV. To be chosen by him for more than one season is an accomplishment for a model.
But he is a soulless creature. He has no respect for models and doesn’t care unless he decides to like someone but then it is only for superficial reasons. It can be the strangest thing like an angle or if a model reminds him of something he likes or someone. At the same time, he can irrationally hate people based on their look and refuses to dress people. He holds grudges and can be vindictive and effing petty. He has an opinion about every last thing, and he talks crap behind people’s backs and has no shame if the person finds out.
All that said I have never had bad experiences with him. Many of the reasons he only knows, some have nothing to do with me but it doesn’t really matter, and I don’t care at this stage in life. He isn’t fun or relaxing to be around, and I don’t think anyone else will ever be able to get away with the things he does again. He has a cruelty in his nature that isn’t tolerable in these times anymore, and he needs to concentrate on style books or something else and step away.
Because he thinks models are dolls and useless as people, he really DGAF what happens to them for the most part.
Does he sexually harass male models? He thinks they are objects so
I think that question answers itself.
Karl is a malignant narcissist in other words. Very dangerous person.
I respect the fact he revived Chanel and Fendi but honestly today his fashion clothes for them is awful. He should just retire.
I hate that when you take a job, it means you have to take what people have been silent about for decades. Karl, you’re only cementing the fact that you are complicit in the actions that have finally brought us to Me Too.
I only like Karl when I envision him as a villain in the Incredibles. Like Edna Modes meaner and grosser counter part.
His comments on Weinstein show exactly how Karl operates. He doesn’t dislike him for his decades of rape and abuse, he dislikes him because he had a bad business deal with him.
It’s like saying you don’t like a KKK member because they didn’t return your weed whacker.
He’s always been a bitchy, arrogant idiot. Apparently nothing has changed. His biggest worry is still wearing his shirts collars so high to hide his turkey neck. I’m sure the only creature who loves him is his cat. That’s okay, as long as he has somebody who loves him.
He looks like the menopausal old women he hates so much.
And another thing, look at his dorky gloves. Doing a madge trick and trying to cover up his old hands.
So can we hope yhat women stop buying Chanel and Lagerfields clothed in protest. What a stupid man who fails to realize women can make or brake him. #LaterLagerfeld
There’s a movie back in the 80s, I don’t remember the name, where a man whose a complete player and doesn’t respect women dies and becomes a woman. (Or maybe he didn’t die was just transformed? Either way it’s been a while). Anyway, he can’t die or turn back I think until he finds someone who he loves since he could never do it as a man. It literally took him giving birth to learn love. The point is if a man had to live as a woman and see the harassment we’re subjected to on an almost daily basis. Harassment most of us just accept because it’s sadly became the norm for many of us, but harassment nonetheless. Perhaps maybe just maybe then they’ll get it. They’ll accept us and they’ll quit being assholes about it when we complain about being harassed. It takes one to know one is what they say sadly. In the movie the guy couldn’t stand being harassed or looked at like meat. I really wish I remember the name because it’s a good watch and definitely is relatable.
The movie is called “Switch” and it starred Ellen Barkin.
Thank you! I tried to google it, but had no results. It is cheesy, but gives an idea of what women go through and what it would be like for a man.
You may be interested in “Goodbye Charlie” too. It’s older, from the 1960s, with Tony Curtis, Debbie Reynolds and Walter Matthau. Similar premise, and IMO an interesting look at gender roles.
Looks like this geriatric edgelord got rejected by a male model and is pretty salty about that, with all the talk of wonky teethed youths. Anyways, most of us have been fed up with old Kunty for a decade.
Brave try Hope! Lagerfeld’s point about events happening 20 years ago with no prosecution witnesses and resulting in people losing their livelihoods is completely valid.
#Metoo is a horrible movement which has nothing to do with equality.
He’s old AF…and he’s French…so I won’t even ATTEMPT to parse his horrible #metoo comments…HOWEVA…I’ma need him to get off his HIGH HORSE and ride a VERY SMALL PONY before he breaks a hip regarding his comment about the “wonky shape” of models’ teeth and how they need to see a Dentist…Boo Boo…SO DO YOU!!!
Every time I see this goblin, he reminds me of that guy in Hannibal (the movie) who had his face eaten.
Maybe Karl has more intimate knowledge of the mindset of models and actresses than do the rest of us.
As a woman, I have found that there is large percentage of women who will exchange a better career position for sex, and in doing so they cause big problems for the women who refuse to do so.
I do think it is curious that these women only complained after they got work from people they are now complaining about. How convenient for them.
Why didn’t they speak up right away and the hell with the job. They did not speak up because they got what they wanted and what they exchanged sexual favors for. They did not care about other women at that point, only their own careers.