13 Times Karl Lagerfeld Was Accused Of Being Fatphobic, Problematic, Islamophobic, And More

I never knew half of these happened, WOW.

This post discusses fatphobia, Islamophobia, and sexual assault.

Earlier this month, Vogue announced that the 2023 Met Gala theme is "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty." This immediately drew backlash from fans and celebs alike, given the late fashion icon's controversial and problematic remarks.

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Here are 13 Karl Lagerfeld problematic moments that have resurfaced, sparking backlash, discourse, and criticism:

1. When he voiced his discontent with Germany taking in Muslim refugees in 2017:

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During appearance on a French talk show, he said, "You cannot kill millions of Jews and then take in millions of their worst enemies afterwards, even if there are decades [between the two events]," he said. "I know someone in Germany who took in a young Syrian, and after four days said: 'The greatest thing Germany invented was the Holocaust.'"

2. When he body-shamed Adele:

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"She is a little too fat, but she has a beautiful face and a divine voice," he said during an interview with Metro. He later apologized, claiming his words were taken out of context.

3. And also Heidi Klum:

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In an interview with GQ Germany, he said, "Heidi Klum is no runway model. She is simply too heavy and has too big a bust. And she always grins so stupidly. That is not avant-garde — that is commercial!"

4. When he harshly criticized Seal's skin:

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In an interview with the Sun, he said, "I am no dermatologist, but I wouldn't want his skin. Mine looks better than his. He is covered in craters."

5. When he criticized Pippa Middleton's appearance:

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"Kate Middleton has a nice silhouette. I like that kind of woman; I like romantic beauties," he said in an interview with the Telegraph. "On the other hand, her sister struggles. I don't like the sister's face. She should only show her back."

6. When he talked about Lana Del Rey having "implants":

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"Lana Del Rey is not bad at all. She looks very much like a modern-time singer. In her photos, she is beautiful," he said during an interview with Metro. "Is she a construct with all her implants? She's not alone with implants."

7. When he intimated that feminists were "ugly":

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When asked about Coco Chanel in an interview with Harper's Bazaar, he said she wasn't a feminist because she wasn't "ugly enough for that."

8. When he was asked about beauty standards and said, "No one wants to see curvy women."

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He reportedly said this to a German magazine named Focus in 2009. 

9. And in the same interview, he reportedly said, "You’ve got fat mothers with their bags of chips sitting in front of the television and saying that thin models are ugly. The world of beautiful clothing is about ‘dreams and illusions.’”

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10. When stylist Karl Templer was accused of sexual assault and Karl Lagerfeld defended him in the worst way:

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In an interview with Numéro, he said, "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!"

11. And when he criticized the #MeToo Movement:

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"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. 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," he told Numéro.

12. When he called Princess Diana "stupid" in 2006:

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In an interview with New York Magazine, he said, "She was pretty, and she was sweet, but she was stupid."

13. And lastly, when he mocked Andy Warhol:

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"I shouldn’t say this, but physically, he was quite repulsive," Karl said. 

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here.