The 2023 Met Gala theme — “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” — celebrates one of fashion’s most revered designers and controversial figures. Famous for bringing life back to the Chanel brand, reinventing runway shows and redirecting the future of fashion, Lagerfeld was also notorious for his self-proclaimed “big mouth.”
Lagerfeld’s controversial commentary towards “ugly” people, the #MeToo movement and migrants has drawn criticism. Several critics have questioned the Met Gala’s decision to celebrate such a controversial figure — begging the question: does someone’s controversial behavior outweigh their accomplishments?
We saw it happen last year with Kanye West. Following a slew of antisemitic remarks, the accomplished rapper was dropped by Adidas and lost several other brand deals. West suffered the consequences of cancel culture.
Public figures have gotten canceled over varying degrees of offensive behavior. But the late designer has escaped the menacing grasp of cancel culture. Despite Lagerfeld’s questionable commentary, the designer is being celebrated beyond the grave for his fashion genius.
“He offended people right and left, making as much of an art out of the cutting aside as the perfectly cut double-face gown,” New York Times fashion critic Vanessa Friedman wrote soon after Lagerfeld’s death.
Lagerfeld earned a reputation for begin openly fat-phobic, repeatedly criticizing the #MeToo movement and sexual assault survivors, calling people “ugly,” speaking out against LGBTQ rights and migrants without apology, per AP News.
Lagerfeld’s controversial comments
To better understand the sort of comments the pony-tailed man in chunky black sunglass was known for making — here a a few of his controversial quotes.
Lagerfeld’s fat phobia
“These are fat mummies sitting with their bags of crisps in front of the television, saying that thin models are ugly,” Lagerfeld said in an…
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