He’s often been called “the Chanel supremo,” and his many eccentricities have undoubtedly not gone by unnoticed. Yet, his latest interview for Radio 4 Today program, as cited by The Telegraph, has certainly drawn all kinds of negative attention towards him, especially as he tackles the topics of size 0 models and fat people in general, and wearing fur in such a way that could not go without a powerful echo.
Speaking of size 0 models on catwalks all over the world, and, more specifically, in his own defense as he’s constantly accused of encouraging girls to be too thin in order to fit in the industry, Karl says we should first worry about the obesity rate and only afterwards point fingers at those who openly fight against it by promoting a more slender frame.
“In France there are, I think, less than one per cent of people who are too skinny. There are nearly 30 per cent of young people who are too fat. So let's take care of the zillions of the too fat before we talk about the percentage that's left.” the German-born designer says, openly urging everyone else to do just what the fashion industry is doing so as to make the rate of obesity go down.
As for wearing fur, here too Lagerfeld’s solution is just as simple: in a world where eating meat is OK, the question of whether wearing fur is correct or not becomes stupid. The designer does neither, he admits, but he backs up both, especially wearing fur, since it supports an entire industry. Of course, even if man is forced to “[kill] those beasts who would kill us if they could,” Lagerfeld agrees the animals should suffer as little as possible.
As expected, Karl’s words did not fail to cause some waves, with several major organizations fighting to eradicate just the things the designer seemed to promote in his interview already speaking out against him. Of them, the stand of Beating Eating Disorders was that the designer’s words were “a very sad reflection” on attitudes within the fashion industry.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said of Karl that he was a “dinosaur,” stressing that “Lagerfeld’s childish refusal to acknowledge the needless suffering behind every piece of fur and listen to public opinion means that he is being overtaken in the style stakes by an increasing number of designers who believe that cruelty has no place in fashion.”
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