Karl Lagerfeld To Carine Roitfeld: 'It Would Be Difficult To Have An Ugly Daughter'

We cannot make this stuff up.

In one of the best interviews we've read all year, Karl Lagerfeld sat down with former Vogue Paris editor-in-chief Carine Roitfeld for Interview's September issue to talk about, well, everything: shooting nudes, their artistic inspirations and that catchphrase that just won't go away, "porno chic."

One of the best parts, however, came when the Chanel designer brought up the topic of children:

No one can say that you don't take care of them. You're also lucky because they are very beautiful. It would have been difficult to have an ugly daughter.

So difficult it would be, said Lagerfeld, that he could never see himself having children of his own: "If I were a woman, I would love to have lots of kids. But for men, I don't believe in it."

These two fashion icons showed their true colors over lots more issues, making for a super fun read. They commiserated about being quite famous as well as quite rich (says Carine, "[If] you're in your car, you're in your jet -- you don't have a grip on reality," which often happens to us).

Interestingly, while they spoke mostly of their personal passions rather than the nitty-gritty of their daily work, the pair made a few allusions to Roitfeld's high-profile departure from French Vogue:

LAGERFELD: I think freedom is your biggest luxury. You were literally jailed before.

ROITFELD: I am like a lemon. I'm pressed for more juice. When I have fun, there's still juice. I am not dried up . . .

LAGERFELD: I think you're more like a bird that can't be put in a cage. I don't want to compare myself to you, but it's like at Chanel, I can do what I want, when I want, where I want. And that's because I am worth more when I'm free. I think it's the same thing for you.

ROITFELD: I can never work full time for a large fashion house. I could never do it [...] Then it would be over. They want to own you.

Carine being "literally jailed" at Vogue Paris can't be the image the fashion magazine would like publicized to the world. On the other hand, Carine as a juicy, non-dried out lemon -- you cannot argue with the accuracy of that description.

Get thee to Interview.com to read the rest of the fascinating conversation between these two legends-in-the-making.

Comments

[GovernorOdius]

11:10 PM on 08/22/2011

Gosh, he looks just like Imhotep. Preserved, but not very well. Definitely NOT handsome. Do as I say...give me a beautiful daughter or BEGONE!

[Saritabonitas]

06:31 PM on 08/22/2011

It would be difficult to have an ugly father. Inside and out.

[Reticent2]

06:02 PM on 08/22/2011

Oh the irony. Even better that they do not understand the irony!

[NRR]

04:43 PM on 08/22/2011

These are truly "ugly" people. I was raised that poor behaviour is what made you ugly.

[aurora97]

04:40 PM on 08/22/2011

Isn't beauty in the eye of the beholder? I cannot believe anyone can say something like that. Those who defend Karl are probably blioded by his couture success. I can onlys real say that this was really rude and shabby and ill-conceived.

[WYHKTai-Tai]

11:31 PM on 08/21/2011

LOL! Michael K. hits the nail on the head again:

Raunchy as usual, but very funny. GO Michael K!

http://www.dlisted.com/

[nancynancy]

02:38 PM on 08/21/2011

At least Karl is being intellectually honest and voicing publicly what many of us feel but refuse to admit to ourselves. Many studies have shown that physically unattractive babies tend to receive less care from their parents than more attractive ones. And this preference for attractive faces is with us from birth. Babies only a few hours old prefer to look at more attractive faces than less ones. We may not like the implications of these findings, but they are real.

[GovernorOdius]

11:13 PM on 08/22/2011

Only if you believe that kind of crap. Words express an idea. Only when you chose so, you will make that idea a belief. It's also known that just observing the making the choice can affect the outcome. Let's say BIAS out loud together. There, now don't you feel better knowing you are biased because of what you believe?

[nancynancy]

12:36 PM on 08/23/2011

The preference for beauty as defined by facial symmetry may not be an appealing or compassionate feature of humanity but it is innate and has been demonstrated across a wide range of cultures in many studies. Putting one's head in the sand and claiming this tendency doesn't exist does nothing to eliminate it. If Karl Lagerfeld feels that if would have been hard for him to have an unattractive daughter, it's good for him, his daughter and the rest of the world that he remained childless. .

[SteveDenver]

10:28 AM on 08/21/2011

So, who is the haggedout thing next to him in the picture?

[Hg ore]

10:58 AM on 08/21/2011

And there you go, that comment is how people treat ugly looking people. The woman next to him didnt make the comment, but this poster felt the right to criticize her because she isnt what he thinks is attractive. The haggedout comment is what every parent of an ugly looking child fears - societal condemnation for having ugly looking children.

[KDMac]

01:09 PM on 08/22/2011

I don't think anyone thinks their own child is ugly.

[pray4words]

08:03 PM on 08/20/2011

oh yeah its difficult to know that death is making clothes

[littlebrowngirl]

06:03 PM on 08/20/2011

Brilliant designer. Delusional human being.

[GovernorOdius]

11:14 PM on 08/22/2011

Are you sure he is designing or lowballing entry level designers and stealing their ideas and passing them off as his own?

[Disketta]

12:42 PM on 08/20/2011

Does anyone doubt that these are the shallowest, most self-congratulatory people in the world?

[Trapped in Paradise]

07:04 AM on 08/21/2011

Yet we help in that don't we.

[Pam Herman]

11:10 AM on 08/22/2011

Unfortunately, yes, we do.

[Recalled]

11:14 PM on 08/19/2011

She has no clue it was a direct dis' to her.

[Missjreneejd]

07:38 PM on 08/19/2011

These two need to get their big helium heads out of the stratosphere.

[Clare53]

07:01 PM on 08/19/2011

He's still just as obnoxious and creepy as ever.

[LittleRedEngine]

05:18 PM on 08/19/2011

omg, this was so disgusting my stomach hurts after reading it. I would never want to be around people who spoke like that.