Karl Lagerfeld is the world’s most famous fashion designer calls himself selfish and still he draws his models on paper by Karl Lagerfeld – the world’s most famous fashion designer, a genius and an artistic talent which is admired by many.
He calls himself selfish, talks about his own caricaturist and says that sometimes would die with laughter over self. Karl Lagerfeld comes into the house on the Rue de Lille, Paris 7, Saint Germain – with a delay of 52 minutes. For him it was nothing.
The building of the XIX century the designer was rebuilt in accordance with their own ideas. From exclusive book shop through a sliding door you can go in two spacious meeting room with high ceilings; lots of light; each large square table.
In vases – white gladioli. Stacks of art books, photo albums, collections of poetry. In the photos, huge, leaning against the walls. Two conference rooms hid Studio Lagerfeld. The ceiling is even higher, like at the gym or the pool at the walls of bookshelves.
Lagerfeld the little mincing gait and very fast speech – French, German, English, all languages mixed together. He may seem like an animated character in the comics, the gray hair, the coat, the sunglasses. He was 81 years old. Lagerfeld is probably the most influential fashion designer of our time, more than 50 years, he creates collections for Chanel, Fendi and his own fashion line. In the remaining time he engaged in photography, and recently more and publishing. Assistants, among them many young muscular guys in t-shirts and grey woolen caps, arranged chairs, cleaned the piles of books and poured his boss a glass of Diet Coke. Girl press Secretary administers, who sit to the right of Lagerfeld: his left ear he hears bad. The interview lasts nearly two hours; during all this time, Lagerfeld only once will remove your sunglasses so that you can readily put on again.
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Mr. Lagerfeld, let me ask you today?
And you’re really that interested? Well, I have my coat, as mentioned earlier, from “Dior”. A shirt and a tie from Hilditch & Key shirt collar in the style of Harry Kessler, it came in around 1912. The chain made one young jewelry designer, his name I immediately can’t remember; brooch 1930-ies – work of Suzanne Belperron. Jeans from Dior suede and matching suede shoes from Massaro. That’s all.
– Why are you always dressed alike – for you, this kind of form?
– You may not notice, but she always looks very different. Form never in the winter and summer of the same green color. In addition, the profession requires. Lord, I’m living in the world of fashion. And I don’t like sloppy people. Concern about appearance is partly a question of discipline.
“But you could take a cue from Giorgio Armani and always wear jeans with black t-shirt.
Yes, however in life there are times when black t-shirt, and especially Mike, it looks inappropriate.
– More than 60 years, you create fashion, since 1965 for Fendi, in 1983 – for Chanel. In Bonn now held a major exhibition of your work. You feel flattered?
– Exposure I haven’t even seen.
My staff insist that I will go to Bonn. But I do not want. No way! I am against all these endless celebrations. People honor each other, and then themselves. If others want to see what I’ve created, then that’s fine. But I don’t want to see it all again – I need to think about what I will do tomorrow.
– It seems you have a peculiar relationship with the past. They say you keep your old drawings and sketches. Why? – All colleagues, who rested on his past and on their previous creations, like unmade beds, then we could not create anything new. I think it’s dangerous. There is this Jewish proverb: bail past not give a loan. And I live by this principle. I always get the feeling that I’m lazy. I could work more and better. As if in front of me is a glass wall, which I have yet to break.
– What motivates you?
– I live in a state of permanent dissatisfaction with yourself. I know that I have conditions for which there is virtually none. But I am never satisfied. – You’re not the only ambitious man. – But the ambition in me no drops. I don’t even know what it is. Everything I do is only for himself. I am a supporter of radical change, one should all the time be updated, to create for themselves a new framework, separate yourself from things.
Get the adrenaline in the game
– So you prefer to live in the present and probably even future?
– I don’t remember many quotes, but once Goethe said that what he would like is a better future with expanded elements of the past. And I have another principle that I continue to draw myself, although most designers to draw have forgotten how. In fact I’m an Illustrator. Anyway, I draw a lot. And I stand huge baskets of securities. After all, most of my sketches – 99 percent! – be in the basket. Those that remain are implemented one to one, exactly like I drew. I don’t have a hundred hours to pore over outline! Fortunately, I can imagine what you want, in three dimensions. Even at the first fitting result is close to perfection. Others are working with dozens of graphic artists who use computer. Then start arguments, discussions that last for hours: do you think there should be this button? Just a horror!
– You make all the decisions alone, and it speeds up the process?
– Absolutely. Otherwise I would not be able to create so many things. Only for Chanel in the year is eight collections for Fendi four. And I’m not talking about the line Lagerfeld. Once one customer asked American industrial designer lady Mendl whether she had some ideas. She said as snapped: “No second option” – “No options.” The owner of the brand Chanel I was told to write above the entrance to my Studio: “art is undemocratic.”
– You are not satisfied with the “the briefing”, the creative part of your work takes place outside of the team. You selfish?
Maybe. However, my selfish ambitions to feed a lot of people. If I have no way to work so that I do not interfere, and the result will be. I like being alone. I’m so selfish that can’t tolerate other people’s interests. So I have never had the desire to start a family. If I’d been born a woman, perhaps, would give birth to a dozen children. But how I work, I wouldn’t even be able to make sure that my kids have something to do in the holidays, and so on. It’s a fact: I am and I can’t become someone else, to adapt to social or family model, which does not meet my Ya – can You describe a selfish Lagerfeld?
– Fortunately, I have no such need, otherwise the picture would be so repulsive that you would not have dared to publish it. But seriously, there are days when I think I still do. And days when I see myself in black! But I know how to laugh at themselves. In fact, I can die with laughter over self.
– It seems that you have built a Paradise in miniature. You buy beautiful mansions, surround yourself with beautiful things, traveling the world, accompanied by beautiful young people choose to travel. How much reality are you willing to let into your life? – A little bit. Very little. I even stopped appearing on the street. Why? 15 years ago you could spend hours wandering around Paris with a small camera in hand.
– Today at me such is no longer possible, people are literally following me, click on their phones and cameras. I have ensured that my caricature silhouette known all over the world. So in Paris, I know not only the Germans or the French but also the Americans and the Japanese, all jump on me for, it’s terribly funny. Everyone wants a selfie with me. But I have no desire to attend the photos of people I do not know. You yearn for contact with reality? – No. The idea of reality is a more powerful stimulant than reality itself. In this my whole life: I idealize reality, embellish, transform. As a designer and as a human being. My life needs no contact with this reality. I was recently in the shop where my paintings are decorated in a baguette frame. Exceptionally, I went there without an escort, having pulled on a head a thick cap. Immediately drew some guy: “well, Well, Monsieur Lagerfeld, we’re playing dressing up?” – How do you get information about what is happening in the world?
– I read a lot – French, English, German press, Der Spiegel, Bunte, The New York Times, Libération, British Newspapers. I usually read early in the morning when I have not scheduled any meetings, I don’t want to watch the clock. So I’m always late.
– You have to read everything – essays, politics, Economics? – All in a row. I’m not interested in intelligent debate, but I like to fill my head with information. – Then you must agree, the world today, to roll into the abyss. – Well, can say so!
– Expansion of the “Islamic state”, war in Ukraine, refugees in the Mediterranean sea, you all care? Three weeks later, after the attack in edition of Charlie Hebdo you staged in Paris ‘ Grand Palais idyllic fashion show – floral motifs, innocent, fabulous, outfits.
We sell dreams, not reality. Or should I organize fashion shows with explosives? In our terrible time, this show can be compared to a book with colorful illustrations for children.
Fashion offers us the model of excapism? – I am living proof of this. And yet, I know what’s going on in the world. I knew these people from Charlie Hebdo, I love cartoons, I always buy them a newspaper. Of course, the incident shocked me. The quality of the publication is entirely dependent on those who died in the attack. Today there are only hatred scrawled in haste. But the war is not over. After September 11, I also continued to work as always.
– You scare easily?
– No, I am a fatalist in relation to himself and to others.
– You think about the motives of the terrorists? Would you like to ask them about it? – No. Likewise, I have nothing to talk about and with the environment of Hitler. There is no need to spend your time on the fanatics. You know, I’ll tell you in this regard very personal story; I have a country house that is being monitored by the caretaker. His father was Moroccan, he was born here in France and he’s French to the bone. I know its a very long time: cheerful, sociable, awfully nice people. And five years ago something changed, his wife suddenly starts wearing a burqa. Extremely pleasant people – and suddenly such!
– You have tried with him to talk about it?
Yes. I forbade him to preach his radical views. I had no choice. He suddenly began to give my friends some books, and the like. Stopped to shake hands with women. When we arrive, the curtains on the window zadelyvayutsya to his wife caught the eye of outsiders. She decides to go out only at five in the morning, when no one can see it. But I don’t impose him talking. Similarly, I wouldn’t argue with fanatical Catholics or with other people suffering from religious hysteria. I myself do not belong to any Church. My parents came out of the Church community. My grandfather and paternal grandmother were Protestants, converted to Catholicism and fanatical believers in the dogmas of Rome. The hysteria of clean water. Savagery!
– Your father, Otto Lagerfeld was an entrepreneur who was producing condensed milk brand Glücksklee. Why you did not want to create their own company?
– Because I am completely irresponsible person! – I don’t believe. – You may not believe it, but I know myself. That’s why I never wanted to have a family. I just want to be responsible for their work. Moral responsibility for the staff I do not need. If you want the easiest way to lose freedom is to open a business. I’m working on a fun will not. No reality! I’d rather live in your perfect little world. – So you prefer life to remain an employee? – I’m not an employee. I enjoy the freedom. I can do what I want to try to learn new things, anyone interested in sticking your nose. The main thing – to no liability. – A man of your influence could, for example, establish a Fund, to engage in charity. – I have just no time! If you create as many collections as I have, you any other resources simply would not have left. You can’t even imagine what kind of rhythm I have to work! These I carry out my duties meticulously. More I the shoulder can’t. – Perhaps the charity you just not interested? – I’m not built for such humanitarian pursuits, I’m just going to seem like an opportunist. Besides, I have a terrible habit: I get bored. However, I keep this bookstore. I have a collection of books, it has 300 000 copies. Here only a small part, about 70 000. The rest are stored in my other homes, in the South of France, everywhere. I relate well to the books, I love them. You would have to be good to people. Is just not my thing, you need to accept yourself for who you are. But I would like to believe that I’m not a bad person. – They say you still give to charity a lot of money. – It’s nobody’s business. – Is it true?
– I ought to say no, but I will say “Yes.” You know, I’m actually a generous man and, I admit, compassionate. But I think you need to be generous to people and not shout about it on every corner. This is partly a question of education. When I was a child in Germany, many living in poverty. But I was forbidden to feed beggars. I had to give alms to someone who gave it to the beggar. Parents wanted from the process, I received satisfaction. The mother alleged you said, “Carl, you shouldn’t be a care in the world, and then you will succeed”. She said, as she raised me. And in fact she was right. – That is, the world you care about? – More or less. But you can avoid responsibility and at the same time to behave in a civilized, compassionate people. I live a perfectly normal and even banal life. But I understand that for others this life is not normal and not banal. They think I live in a fantasy reality. But for me, this is the only true reality.
– Are you a hedonist? – You know, in fact you are right. But for me it’s too far-fetched, artificial formulation. I live the way I seem correct. As usual is your day? – I get up about eight in the morning, then Breakfast, very easy, and reading Newspapers. Then I start to work at home and never in the Studio where I work couldn’t. Then the girls come out of the press service, begin phone calls, talk about anything, brewed coffee. Then I bring lunch. I don’t want in the house where I live and work, someone to cook a meal, do not want to I was surrounded by servants
. – How many people work in your unit?
– “In the machine”! Less than you think. I’m in contact with only the narrowest circle of people. And they convey everything you need on. I have several studios, but the only person who for them draws, myself.
And how is this happening? I make sketches, then pass it on to the Studio, go to Italy or someone comes to me, and I comment on what is depicted on the drawings – here’s one, here’s the second, here the third. And when I then come to the Studio, everything is ready.
– Are you an artist?
– No, it’s arts and crafts. The art of creating clothes. Neither Coco Chanel nor Cristobal Balenciaga, too, did not consider themselves artists, though all drew themselves. They were just proud that secular ladies wore their dresses. I’m not an artist.
– Do you think this attitude contributed to your success? Of course, as I’m a man, firmly standing on the ground. And I don’t allow myself to create illusions at his own expense. – You said that you quickly get bored. Is the real drama of my life. – Our conversation, too, you become bored? – No, you came the three of us, and I have to be alert. So just keep going. Thank you. You’re an educated man, well-read, as if from another era; you can say that you look at the world of good-natured contempt. – No, it is not so! I understand that not everyone has the opportunity to receive an education. I know how to get along with people far from culture, if they have not been able to get in touch with her. But I do not tolerate those who have had every opportunity to gain knowledge, education, culture, and who, nevertheless, has not learnt good manners! Because of their own laziness. With ordinary people I communicate without problems. They address me by name. Driver, janitor, seamstress – none of them tells me “sir”. I for all just Carl.
– On the one hand, you have gathered an amazing collection of books, on the other – interested in all new digital products, I try immediately to get every new gadget. – Absolutely true, but no contradiction I do not see here. Otherwise I would just be a bookworm, which knowledge is necessary only for the sake of knowledge. Here, look: my first iWatch in a gold case. Throughout the world, such watches have only three people: this is the chief editor of the American edition of Vogue magazine, Anna Wintour, Beyonce and me. Why are you with them lit up? – Because it’s new. – How many of you have iPods? – A lot. Very much. The fact that I make lists of songs, save them on the iPod and then give. I love to make gifts. I bought at least 40 copies of the iWatch and give them as gifts to their employees – certainly not in gold. Otherwise I would torment an uncomfortable feeling: I have such a watch there, and they have. Just awful! – Let’s talk about “the scenic way” Karl Lagerfeld. – This is not the way, this is a completely normal development, the result of which may have been somewhat unusual. – Have your cat Choupette with two maids, a private chef, iPad, and it can choose their own food menu. This is also part of normal development? – I have the talent to make others famous, which applies to animals in this case cats. Choupette is the most famous cat in the world! On Twitter she has 48,000 subscribers. Recently in one French newspaper wrote that readers were shocked by the costs of the supect. In response, I wrote to the chief editor that the readers are just jealous. Because supect asks nothing, gourmet food, and all kind of life she goes just like that. Besides supect, advertising cars and Japanese cosmetic company Shu Uemura, earned huge amount of money! We live in a world in which the cat can “earn” more than human hard work at the factory. Perhaps it’s unfair, but I am not to blame. – I supect there is even a private, tailor-made carrying from Louis Vuitton. – It gave not I, but Bernard Arnault – the head of Louis Vuitton. – As you know decadence? – My vocabulary is not the word. I the person far from decadence. – But do you realize what kind of feelings makes people luxury, which is awash supect? – Yes, but such is our world, our life is full of imbalances.
– Do you have in this regard any strange feelings?
– No, I’m for this reason there are generally no feelings, I am these things the man is absolutely shameless. – 40 years ago Karl Lagerfeld, such a life would have seemed strange? You can’t compare, then there was no Instagram, no Twitter. Never compare the old days and the present. “Belle Epoque” can serve as inspiration, but always have to remember: then people lived a thousand times worse than it is now. After all, the “Belle Epoque” is not only elite prostitutes of Paris. – You live in complete harmony with the current times?
– I believe that today life is better than before, and I never look back with regret. – This approach extends to the fashion industry that has become global, dynamic, eclectic?
– Not for us to judge what is good and what is bad. In any case, not me. Our job is to live with the time. As soon as you refuse to adapt to the time, you are out of time. Time in itself cannot be bad.
– And, nevertheless, the man has an opinion, some kind of attitude towards certain things. – No. I adapt, without any remorse and in spite of its sentimentality.
– You overcome your own beliefs?
– “Overcome” – what an awful word! Haven’t had to hear it.
“We didn’t want.
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You have nothing to apologize for – and I’m not over, I just put aside my own opinion, I am too strong opportunist! – Chinese women and Japanese women – they all now want to be like European women. You are upset?
Well! But again: not for me to judge what is right and what is not. In addition, we in the West had fashion trends inspired by the kimono, was a Moroccan, Arab influences all serve as inspiration for all.
Fashion is constantly accelerating, many specimens of the so-called fast fashion are worn an average of five weeks. Are you sorry for? Don’t forget how many people live by the fashion industry. Some people try to consider this topic through the prism of morality, but we must not forget about the banal economic aspect. What people will throw out his old clothes, the faster they will buy a new one; so spin the wheel of fashion. I agree: perhaps it was an unhealthy phenomenon, but in the short term fashion is helping to revive the textile industry. Or need to change the whole system, to abolish capitalism. But this is far from reality.
– You are approaching the age at which people think about our own mortality. Do you have such thoughts?
– No, I’m immortal! But seriously, you do not need too to think about aging and death. Why do I have about this experience?
– Perhaps because anyone wonders what I’m going to leave this Land behind? – No. For me it’s simple: my life began with me and ends with me.
– Have you written a will?
– Yes, but I it is constantly changing. Enough oblique view, and I cross out from the list, he never I don’t get it. And it is important that people who worked all her life with me, you do not have to work with someone else. They should not be necessary, unpleasant for me. – What about your books?
– With this question, I haven’t decided yet. What is the destiny of books? Here I have to think
. You basically do not want to leave the world?
– I don’t really care. I live in the present. And I don’t want to be buried. I like one line from a poem by Friedrich Rückert, put to music by Gustav Mahler: “I am lost to the world.” I don’t want. Let my ashes would scatter in the wind. Over the ocean or over the forests, my preferences on this score are changing almost daily.
– You are thinking about to retire and to live in pleasure?
– A terrible idea. She gives a wheelchair. Who would agree to this, while it is possible to do without it? Especially because my fortune-teller once said: you only start when others usually ends up.
– You are superstitious.
– Yeah, and so far, all that I predicted came true. So, she said to me: you are in no danger in planes and cars, but not sit down in public transport.
– Perhaps you often use the bus.
– True, but one day, when the driver was unable to come after me, I got on the bus. He immediately had an accident, and I nearly shattered my kneecap. Then with public transport I’m done. – And even superstition do you have?
Yeah, I never walk under a ladder and never make the house of peacock feathers.
– And what else?
– I never put it on the bed a hat.
