KING KARL
Lagerfeld’s legacy through controversial quotes
by KOD Staff
Karl Otto Lagerfeld is more than a fashion designer, today he’s an icon. Under the name Roland Karl, his first fashion show was a two hour presentation in July 1958. Creative Director of Fendi and Chanel, today he’s also known for his outlandish statements. From shallow values and derogatory comments to the way he idolizes his cat – his eccentric personality is like a cartoon villain. He is a caricature of himself, fulfilling all negative stereotypes of the fashion industry. Here we’ve collected our favorite Karl quotes:
Karl Lagerfeld by Juergen Teller, 2009
1. “I worked out a lot before I was 20. I was hard underneath. I had just a little padding. I was quilted. Always Chanel…”
2. “Life is not a beauty contest; some [ugly people] are great. What I hate is nasty, ugly people. The worst is ugly short men. Women can be short, but for men it is impossible. It is something that they will not forgive in life - they are mean.”
Karl Lagerfeld and Pat Cleveland at a Chloe Show, 1970s
3. “No one wants to see curvy women.”
4. "I know revenge is mean and horrible, but I see no reason why I shouldn't do something back if somebody has done something bad to me. When people think it's all forgotten, I pull the chair away — maybe 10 years later."
Karl Lagerfeld and Vanessa Paradis, 2010
5. “I’m a kind of fashion nymphomaniac who never gets an orgasm.”
6. “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat. You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants.”
Karl Lagerfeld by Helmut Newton
7. “I never wanted to have children. Because if a child didn’t do as well as me I wouldn’t have loved it and if it did do better than me, I wouldn’t have loved it either.”
8. ‘‘[My sunglasses are] my burka... I'm a little short-sighted, and people, when they're short-sighted, they remove their glasses and then they look like cute little dogs who want to be adopted.”
Karl Lagerfeld and Anna Wintour by Roxanne Lowit
9. “Kate Middleton has a nice silhouette. I like that kind of woman, I like romantic beauties. On the other hand, the sister struggles. I don't like the sister's face. She should only show her back.”
10. [On his cat, Choupette.] “She is like a kept woman. She has a strong personality. She has lunch and dinner with me on the table, with her own food. She doesn’t touch my food. She doesn’t want to eat on the floor. She sleeps under a pillow and she even knows how to use an iPad.”
Eija Vehka Aho, Karl Lagerfeld and Antonio Lopez
Karl Lagerfeld in Paris, 2012
Karl with Choupette
