Lagerfeld: inventing his childhood?

[Lena]

i so enjoyed reading this..

Published: Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Fashion Feud
By Miles Socha

Don't cross Karl Lagerfeld — especially about his childhood. The designer has blasted the new book by Alicia Drake, "The Beautiful Fall: Fashion, Genius and Glorious Excess in 1970s Paris," which focuses on the rivalry between Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent and their intertwined loves and muses over the decade.

But what really touched Lagerfeld's nerves was Drake's claims about the designer's past. First, she asserts that, at 73, he's older than he admits and, worse, that much of his idyllic childhood in Germany was his own invention. Lagerfeld — who didn't cooperate with the book — isn't threatening to sue, but fired off a scathing three-page letter to Drake — obtained by WWD — charging her with faulty research, questioning the credibility and motives of her key sources — including his late cousin Kurt Lagerfeld — and citing "100 mistakes and more," including inaccuracies about the Lagerfeld family homestead.

"Your 'book' is more based on 'suppositions' and improvised 'conclusions' than on truth," Lagerfeld wrote to Drake. As for his late cousin, the designer told Drake: "He hated me and he hated my mother, as he told you. What he says about her is a shame! I have not seen him for over 50 years, have no idea what his children look like. He was never in Baden Baden in my parents' house there.

"Not a word about my half-sister (also dead by now). There was a lot to say. They were very close and against my mother and me. They got no money when my father died and must have resented that for the rest of their lives. I had not seen her since 1964 or '65 [in Baden Baden]."

As for the family's house, Lagerfeld sent Drake photos of it and disputed his cousin's claims that it was a mere four-bedroom bungalow. Instead, the designer said: "It had 14 rooms in two buildings — one behind the other. We had never to leave the house. There was food all the time and the description of the end of the war is very romantic, but it was very different. There were not even shelters and they weren't needed. The farmers were not poor people with three cows.

"But you prefer the vision of grey, grey boring middle-class life (what was, in fact, perhaps this cousin's life — no idea — never went to his house — never met his children and remember vaguely his wife — she died too, I think — as a nice person).

"I love when my stupid cousin (my father called him 'Service Kurt' because of his position in Newstadt at one of the Gluecksklee factories where he worked all his life) thinks my father wanted to move to the country in 1934 (in fact, it was '35) and that he knew by then that war would come. That shows how uninformed poor Kurt was and that he never knew or found out the real reasons."

Finally, in wishing Drake a sarcastic "Bravo!" for her book, Lagerfeld adds in a P.S.: "I felt loved and protected by my parents — in a time like the '40s when it was not easy to have a protected life."

And what is Drake's response to Lagerfeld's vituperative attack? She notes that she spent five years writing and researching the book, seeking out Lagerfeld's closest living relatives, including Kurt, and relying on Lagerfeld's father's memoir as another valuable source. The book "is not intended to be an authorized biography. It is a portrait of the times based on objective research," Drake said.

As for the dispute over the size and condition of the Lagerfeld childhood home in Germany, she responded: "I consulted the local Bad Bramstedt historian several times, who gave me documents, photos and information on the building of Bissenmoor, the family house of Karl Lagerfeld situated in Bad Bramstedt, as well as the context and living conditions in the town during the Second World War. I visited Bad Bramstedt twice during my research."

from wwd.com

 

[taperjeangirl]

Great article! Not sure whose story I believe but the fact that he does not plan sue might be an indication

 

[Lena]

^ totally..
if he was telling the truth make sure he would sue immediately..


he's such a fake and a poser, its pathetic (much more at his age)

 

[taperjeangirl]

Well just my two cents but I can imagine old Karl (no pun ) would give himself a more affluent background. We shall wait and see Drake seems to of backed herself up well.

 

[modelsblog]

Strange life of a strange person. Anyway the fashion he does is great!

 

[Goya]

As a man over 70 years, he dosen't seem to have the wisdom he should have.

 

[xmodel citizen]

He's trying to idealize his life, his childhood and it's understandable. Maybe we should be allowed to write our own history. The truth will come out once he's dead, as for now, why not just let him have his peace?

 

[esquire]

Lenta, thank for posting it, reminds me the talented Ripley. its quite pathetic if its true.

 

[justinelm]

Tons of artists tend to romanticize their life, I don't see it as a big deal or something "pathetic".

 

[xmodel citizen]

Tons of artists tend to romanticize their life, I don't see it as a big deal or something "pathetic".

Exactly. And you shouldn't have to share things about your life that you don't want to anyway.

 

[Zazie]

Thanks Lena, for sharing the funny tidbits. Well, for someone who is arguably the Kaiser of fashion, what is there about a modest childhood to be ashamed of? After all, he's quite brutally honest about other people, especially his customers. I'd be the first to admit the German side of my family lost everything in the war, most who lived in the cities like Berlin did, and the Opa was running after American bombers for the sweets they dropped with the other children, and Berlin probably resembled today's Baghdad. War is hell.

 

[arlekindearrabal]

perhaps the reason he is so fixated on youth is the happiness he found when he first moved to paris...

 

[taperjeangirl]

There is no point in lying thought it just makes him look stupid.

 

[modela]

so why do karl and yves hate eachother

 

[zamb]

so why do karl and yves hate eachother[/quote


they hate each other because of the rivalry that existed in thier career ,
also because it is said that they were both madly in love with the same man. don't remember what his name is right now , but some paris Dandy who died of Aids in the 1980's.
for those who think it is OK to lie about ones past,
I can't tell anyone what to think,
but ultimately, the truth must have some value.Life is not lived in an isolated space by one's self. it is lived by having experiences and inter-actions with other people.
it is unfair to those people whom you have shared your life with to lie about the experiences that you shared with them.
i came from a very poor country, and from very humble beginnings. i came into this country (USA) having $20 and a dream. I ,thanks be to God have managed to make something of myself, and while i am nowhere in terms of the success of lagerfeld and many others, i would never lie about my past,
my family or any other experience i may have had along the way.
Honesty is still a noble Virtue

 

[taperjeangirl]

Zamb I am happy to read that you made a successful life.

Karma for your comments on the truth.

 

[belletrist]

so why do karl and yves hate eachother[/quote

they hate each other because of the rivalry that existed in thier career ,
also because it is said that they were both madly in love with the same man. don't remember what his name is right now , but some paris Dandy who died of Aids in the 1980's.

Jacques de Bascher de Beaumarchais

 

[Dkammern]

I don't think Karl needs to lie about his past, why would he do that?
he is accomplished, one of the most successful desginers of our times.
The only reason why I think he wouldnt sue the writer of that book, who is trying no more than creating controversy, is because he has no time for this folishness.
As I just said, he's been on top of the "heel" for so many years that, does anyone think this could somehow hurt his reputation?
i dont think so...

 

[Lena]

i think he's ashamed of all the lies he has said about his past and now that the truth is coming out he's freaking..
why? cause he's insecure

a miserable bourgeois wishing-he-was-an-aristocrat

 

[whatkatiedid]

Lying is lying, whether you are lying about your childhood, job, or daily events. Everyone does it. It is obviously making him feel better about himself so let the guy do it. Everyone is so damn judgemental.