Karl Lagerfeld’s most outrageous moments

Karl Lagerfeld was as well known for his witty remarks as his impeccable fashion sense — but there was one item he absolutely loathed.

The fashion world has donned its black pant suit and sunglasses today, as it mourns the loss of one of its own — legendary Chanel designer, Karl Lagerfeld who died aged 85 on Tuesday.

But while the German-born designer certainly turned heads on the runway and red carpet, he was also known for his witty words — that sometimes landed him in hot water.

His famous quips are just as well-known as his signature white ponytail, with some raising eyebrows and receiving criticism.

The fashion icon was known for making controversial comments.

Mr Lagerfeld was very outspoken on his love of fashion — deeming anything that wasn’t dressed in custom couture a fashion fail.

One of his most famous zingers was that “sweatpants are a sign of defeat”.

“You lost control of your life so you bought some sweatpants,” he said, making his bizarre view on the activewear well known.

He regularly spoke out about who should and shouldn’t be allowed on the catwalk.

He also had very strong views on a number of other things, including what should and shouldn’t be allowed on the catwalk.

“No one wants to see curvy women on the runway,” he was once quoted as saying, long before the body positive movement.

Another controversial remark was to critics of the women shown in the media: “They are fat mummies sitting with their bags of crisps in front of the television, saying that thin models are ugly.”

However, he insisted he had nothing against people who weren’t genetically blessed.

“Life is not a beauty contest, some (ugly people) are great,” he once offered.

“What I hate is nasty, ugly people … the worst is ugly, short men.”

He even once weighed in on parenthood — though he never wanted kids.

But Lagerfeld also made some interesting comments on parenthood.

“It would have been difficult to have an ugly daughter … If I were a woman, I would love to have lots of kids. But for men, I don’t believe in it,” Lagerfeld said.

However he made it very clear he never wanted kids.

“That’s the last thing I want. I hate all children,” he said in 2008.

Karl once claimed that curvy women had no place on a runway.

LAGERFELD ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT

During a now infamous interview with Numero magazine last year, the designer claimed he was “fed up” with the #MeToo movement, which aimed to raise awareness about women’s workplace sexual harassment.

Among many things, he called models “sordid,” “stupid,” and “toxic” for coming forward about accusations of sexual harassment on the job

“What shocks me most in all of this are the starlets who have taken 20 years to remember what happened,” he said.

“Not to mention the fact there are no prosecution witnesses.”

During the #MeToo movement he remarked that women to “join a nunnery” if they don’t want to be sexually assaulted and faced a huge backlash.

In the same interview, Lagerfeld also expressed his major frustration with the concept of treating women in the fashion industry with respect, branding it “unbelievable”.

“I read somewhere that now you must ask a model if she is comfortable with posing,” he said.

“It’s simply too much, from now on, as a designer, you can’t do anything.”

This interview was widely criticised with many people calling him out for his flippant dismissal of reports of abuse.

Rose McGowan spoke out against his comments, writing: “Karl, your cruelty is tired.”

LAGERFELD ON LAGERFELD

Lagerfeld loved that the world couldn’t quite figure him out, because he couldn’t really figure himself out either.

In one interview he claimed: “I have no human feelings.”

Over the course of several decades, Lagerfeld revealed himself to be quite a reclusive person, who hated many things that others enjoyed.

These things included cooking, eating, telephones, travelling, people and children.

“I cannot go on airlines because people stare at me, you have to be touched by people,” he said in 2008.

“I hate that … I hate bespoke because I hate to be touched by strangers.”

His reluctance to be touched meant manicures were also a no go.

“I hate manicures. I do them myself. I’m pretty good at it. I cannot stand someone touching my fingers,” he said in 2012.

Don’t touch me.

Lagerfeld once said he hated telephones as well as business meetings.

“I don’t do meetings. At Chanel, there are no meetings. At Chanel, we do what we want, whenever we want and it works,” he said.

He also said in 2012 that he hated hot drinks.

“I never drink anything hot; I don’t like hot drinks, very strange,” he said.

“I drink Diet Coke from the minute I get up to the minute I go to bed.”

Lagerfeld said of his image: “I am like a caricature of myself, and I like that. It is like a mask. And for me the Carnival of Venice lasts all year long.”

The Chanel designer hated many things, including cooking and manicures.

In 2008 he likely revealed how he kept his slim figure: “I hate the smell of cooking.”

Lagerfeld also dished on his statement sunglasses, which were a constant feature, indoors, outdoors and probably in bed.

No matter the venue, the world would rarely spy Mr Lagerfeld without his tinted specs.

When asked why he wore them so often, Lagerfeld once again made a controversial remark.

“They’re my burka … I’m a little shortsighted, and people, when they’re shortsighted, they remove their glasses and then they look like cute little dogs who want to be adopted,” he said.

He was rarely seen without his glasses.

LAGERFELD ON CELEBRITIES

The iconic Chanel designer also took a few famous swipes at female celebrities, including singer Adele, who he called out for her weight.

“The thing at the moment is Adele,” he said.

“She is a little too fat, but she has a beautiful face and a divine voice.”

Lagerfeld also took aim at Heidi Klum and her former husband.

“I don’t know Heidi Klum. She was never known in France. Claudia Schiffer also doesn’t know who she is,” he said.

On her ex-husband, Seal, Lagerfeld said: “I am no dermatologist but I wouldn’t want his skin. Mine looks better than his. He is covered in craters.”

Lagerfeld didn’t know who Heidi Klum was and thought Seal’s face was covered in “craters”.

Lagerfeld only ever liked one of the Middleton sisters.

“Kate Middleton has a nice silhouette and she is the right girl for that boy,” he said.

“I like that kind of woman, I like romantic beauties.”

On the other hand, he said, “her sister struggles”.

“I don’t like the sister’s face. She should only show her back.”

While he loved Kate Middleton, he didn’t share the same sentiment for her sister Pippa.

Lagerfeld loved the siblings mother, Carole Middleton, though.

“I think the mother is sexier than both the daughters. There is something full of life about her,” he said.

Speaking of royals, Lagerfeld also took the opportunity once to comment on Kate Middleton’s late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.

“She was pretty and she was sweet, but she was stupid,” Lagerfeld said.

Lagerfeld thought Princess Diana was pretty, but “stupid”.

Lagerfeld’s out-there nature appeared to know no bounds, as he once made a remark about FLOTUS and global treasure Michelle Obama.

“I don’t understand the change of hair. I adore Madame Obama, I love her,” he said.

“But there is a news reader at LCI which has this haircut … Frankly, this doesn’t suit her. The fringe was a bad idea, it’s not good.”