Thursday
Sep082011
Quote of the Day
Thursday, September 8, 2011 at 8:48 AM Karl Lagerfeld to USA Today:
"I love Madame Obama, but not in terms of clothes," says Lagerfeld, sipping on Diet Coke, the only caffeine he drinks. "I like her face, the cleverness of her face. Her face is stronger than the clothes."
Reader Comments (45)
That may be the nicest thing I've ever read quoted from Lagerfeld.
In general that is a great thing to say about any woman. And in Mrs O case it's so true.
Lagerfeld said something nice about somebody!! Mrs. O has a stunning face, flawless skin, gorgeous angles and beautiful expression. But actually, as gorgeous and fashionable as Mrs. O is, it's her enormous heart that touches me in every instance. The fashion is tremendous fun - and her beauty is really something to behold - but what she's done for me as a person, the inspiration she and POTUS have modeled to live a richer life of compassion, has been immeasurable.
Meta, you hit the nail on the head. Beautifully said!
What a wonderful thing to say about Mrs.O! And the comments above by Tammy and meta are spot on!
Coming from Karl Lagerfeld that is the nicest thing I've ever heard anybody say about her.
The way to a woman's heart is through the mall somewhere
I truly believe that it is the inner beauty that Mrs. Obama possesses in abundance that radiates and enhances her outer appearance. I honestly think that we notice the clothes only because of her light that shines from within and illuminates them.
What Meta said x 1,000,000!!!
I absolutely echo what Vivenne said. Her fashion sense is wonderful, but it's her inner light, intelligence and compassion that make her shine. It's obvious she has a lot of love in her life and a lot of love to give.
Mrs. O is clever, smart and beautiful. She is a great inspiration to many, young and old.
I see I am in the minority because I honestly think that he was trying to be facetious.
@Tiyon...you have some company with your thought about Mr. Lagerfeld's statement.
I saw an article on the internet where he was quoted saying this and my first thought was to forward it to Mrs. T to see how she felt about it. I see there is no need......we're here! However, I am less that enthused at "the compliment(?)" by Mr. Lagerfeld. His snarkiness and elitist attitude precedes him. His comments are often full of double entrendes that fashion insiders know all too well how to decipher. Sometimes his edit button is turned off and he has been known to full blast people.
I hope that I'm being paranoid, but I don't think that this is intended as a compliment. If I am wrong, I sincerely apologize, truly I do.
@ Tiyon, we see eye to eye.
My first impression was that he sounds like a condescending drip. He's making a backdoor cut at her clothes.
I also think that Lagerfeld is taking a swipe at Mrs Obama's clothes because he says her "face is stronger than the clothes". In other words she could do something to make the clothes better but her face is her face. And since when is "cleverness" a nice compliment for a face? He is a piece of work.
He probably is making a dig at her clothes--but it may also be because she doesn't wear his designs. She knows herself well enough to know what suits and what doesn't, and she may not be in love with M. Lagerfeld's clothes. I think much of what she wears is appropriate and accessible. Given the economy, this isn't the time for her to channel Marie Antoinette. Kaiser Karl can keep dressing the ladies who feel they need the armor of couture to telegraph who they are. Something tells me Mrs. O believes she can get her message across in other ways.
I agree with Tiyon, Charlene in Detroit & babs - this sounds like a flowery insult
No apologies but that is NOT a compliment. Has she worn any of his clothes, ODLR all over again. Lagerfeld is irrelevant as far as I am concerned.
Forget Lagerfeld Mrs.O looked stunning tonight during her husband's amazing, amazing speech. I think that dress is from the campaign.
I agree that his remarks were not particularly complimentary, but in one regard, he has a point: Mrs. O's personality, intelligence, and care always outshine her clothes. He's right about that. Many years ago, I read a similar comment that Bill Blass made about Diana, Princess of Wales. He said something like, "Her clothes are not particularly on the mark to me, as a designer, but so what? She's young and she's beautiful, and you can't beat youth, kid!"
As for "cleverness"--well, English isn't his first language. He may have simply meant her intelligence and alertness. I think we can agree on that.
@ Gaylev - Thanks for breaking down his comment. You deconstructed what he said. I was a bit confused at Lagerfield but at first read, didnt see it as a swipe.
Let's say Mr. Lagerfeld thought Mrs. Obama is not well dressed - why is that an insult? It's his opinion! Not everyone has to fawn over what Mrs. O puts on her back. Why is it offensive that he doesn't love her because of what she wears? That's such a frivolous thing to LOVE somebody for. The clothes are beside the point and quite honestly, we will see with the legacy of Mrs. Obama in contrast to that of Jackie Kennedy that she won't be mostly regarded as a style icon - the woman herself is what people love so much all around the world. This is a man whose design aesthetic caters to Hollywood starlets and old European money and aristocracy. Mrs. Obama is neither and she doesn't apologize for that. The amazing thing about her is that even if you hate the clothes you still love the woman and THAT is where the compliment lies.
Some of you are so defensive of Mrs. O's credibility as a style icon and get really annoyed when someone doesn't think she is or critiques an element of her style. Literally, the man only said "I love her but not for her clothes." And people are psychoanalyzing the comment as being a swipe, facetious, condescending etc. Someone went so far as to call Karl Lagerfeld irrelevant!? Karl Lagerfeld is one of the single greatest design influences of our time please don't get ridiculous in the name of unnecessarily defending Mrs. O. If you know ANYTHING about Karl Lagerfeld you would know he is the most direct person in the fashion industry. If he thought she was horribly dressed he would say so. If he thought she was irrelevant, he would not have commented on her. If didn't like her I would literally have said "She's horrible." and moved on. He has NO reason to insult her with a flowery backhand compliment. Seriously! You guys need to stop the MADNESS. To say you love someone for being clever and strong is hardly an insult. And don't say "he said his face" because quite clearly he didn't just mean her skin and bones and eyes and lips. He meant the woman herself.
Hey fellow bloggers, Here is a recent photo of Mrs. O at President Obama's address to the Joint Session of Congress in Washington.
http://www.daylife.com/photo/07IG3Zy5ln8VK?q=Michelle+Obama
@ Rory
Calm down! I dont think anybody is mad or upset that Mr. Lagerfield doesn't love Mrs. Obama's clothes. I in particular sometimes dont like what Mrs. Obama's wears but there is a lot about her that I like. We were just trying to understand his comments whether he meant it positively or not. Relax! Speaking for myself, you will notice that in my previous comment, I thanked someone for deconstructing Mr. Lagerfield's statement to me. Looking for comprehension and that is all. It wont make or break my day what he thinks. But I will UNDERSTAND what he thinks.
I'm really enjoying this thread as it brings forward much rational discussion. Well said, Rory.
Perhaps the man's comments about MO could have been much worse. Having her face assessed positively is much better than what might have been. According to femalefirst.co.uk Lagerfield had this to say about his role as commentator for the Royal nuptials in April:
"An event like that is fun to do because I can make jokes, and jokes of the lowest kind are not against my mentality. ...But this was not a collection, this was the choices of this kind of woman for this kind of ceremony: the bad proportions, the ugly hats, the short skirts on fat legs."
Nothing like getting an idea of the man's character and mentality from his own mouth.
Ladywatcher: Mrs. O indeed recycled the violet Maria Pinto she wore when her husband accepted his party's nomination in Denver in 2008. One of her best looks, IMHO. This time around, instead of pairing it with gumball pearls and the black patent Addezine Alia (one of her favorites she wore--and wears--often), she paired it with a thin black patent belt that seems to be embellished. Anybody know who made it?
Hmmm ... I'm not sure that's a compliment. You shouldn't have to spend time deciphering a compliment. "Her face is stronger than her clothes ..." WTHeezy?
I wonder what kind of day Mrs. T is having that she hasn't posted the American Jobs Act speech look (which is Mario Pinto btw) argh...hope everything is ok :(
Please check out Mrs O at the US Open : )
Mrs. O is looking good at the U.S. Open today, first in workout clothes and then in a smashing red top to watch the match. I'm so glad she's back on the move!
If Mr. Lagerfeld is being himself by being blunt then in my madness and ridiculousness he insulted her, as far as I am concerned. Agree and accept my opinion Rory. I accept yours!! and I disagree with you. End of story.
Please Rory, honey calm down! It's ok. I find it ironic that you are scolding people about stating their opinions when you're defending a person for stating his. Lagerfield likes Mrs. O face and one poster finds him irrelevant. Ok, they're both opinions. I'm not trying to be a smart a**, but just thought I would point that out. Do you feel me, a little?
@Rory This is not about her credibility as style icon. I fully respect everyone's right to an opinion. It's about the fact that he took what for anyone was a rude and nasty insult and tried to put sprinkles and flowers on top as something else. This is not about an opinion. It's about rudeness, condescension, and cowardice behavior from a grown man who is too much of a little boy to just come out and say what he has to say.
Just nonsense. I can't stand Lagerfeld and this comment hasn't helped to endear me to him.
A clever face? Pardon me, but wtf does that mean?
He should have just kept quiet rather than offer vague, inarticulate statements that masquerade as "sophisticated observation" and whose flattery is quite dubious.
I totally agree with you, Rory. I also think that using the word "cleverness" is a reference to her obvious intelligence. As was said earlier, some of you really need to take a chill pill.
The fact that Mrs. Obama wears what she likes, what she want to wear, makes me like her even more. And to be honest, to heck with Lagerfeld.
This comment was nothing short of vacuous and stupid. OF COURSE her face is stronger than her clothes. Wouldn't the reverse be utterly ridiculous? Imagine-saying her clothes were stronger than her face.
Rory and Christen should go work for Karl Lagerfeld.
While I understand what Lagerfeld is saying, his totally condescending demeanor in general and his treatment of his employees in particular make his comments come off as nonsense to me.
Wow, so some need to take a "chill pill" just because many said Karl's remarks are not a compliment, more like an insult. All people did was decipher his comments as an insult. I see we have some die-hard Karl fans on here.
I am NOT a fan of Lagerfeld's, but know that quip will be the closest he has come to giving ANYONE a compliment in a very long time. I don't think that saying "cleverness" equates to intelligence means I like Lagerfeld. It just means that I choose to see it as a positive comment, instead of a negative one. According to the usual suspects, no one is allowed to say anything about Mrs. O. unless it involves fawning.
"It just means that I choose to see it as a positive comment, instead of a negative one."
Coming from YOU, that's hilarious.
ROFLMAO @ Bevi!!!!!!!
;-)
Whatever anyone thinks about Karl Lagerfeld, many forget that he is not just a "fashion" designer. Mr. Lagerfeld is an accomplished photographer, and photographers see beyond clothes and fashion. The face, every little detail of it, is noticed by a photographer. "Clever" has been used often to describe Coco Chanel, and many other accomplished women, and the French translates as skillful and intelligent. Mrs. Obama was an accomplished attorney and businesswoman long before she became a public figure.
Anyone can wear designer clothes, but not everyone is clever, skillful and intelligent. That is evident from the string of celebutants parading in and out of criminal court, for one incident or another, in the finest couture. Let’s just take Mr. Lagerfeld’s word about Madame Obama as it was given.
I am reminded of a 1987 NYT article about Victoire de Castellane; when asked to describe her, Mr. Lagerfeld replied, ''You don't. She follows the rules I like best in life,'' he said. ''Don't compare. Don't compete. You look at her. You get the message.''
He is a photographer. He gets the message that First Lady Obama is more than her clothes.
Photographer Lagerfeld with his latest muse should add some perspective: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFirHIdU2nc
Karl Lagerfeld is so low on my list of "People Whose Opinion Counts For Anything" that if he made a comment about Mrs O I'd almost rather never have seen it. He is an @^$£ of the highest order. SOME of his clothes are very good. Some are a waste of fabric. If it weren't for the ladies cutting in his salon he would be dead in the water.