Karl Lagerfeld Reflects on His Childhood

Karl Lagerfeld recently sat down for an interview with Harper's Bazaar. Here's what he had to say:

On what he was like as a child:

"As a kid, I was overspoiled, with a head like this [Gestures widely]. My mother would say to me, 'You look okay but not as good as me.' I could speak three languages when I was six, and when I went to school I only liked to read and sketch. At five, I could write and everything...When I lived in the country, school was easy, and at 16 I had finished school. I wanted to go to Paris, so my parents let me go alone at 17. It was not dangerous at all, not like today. I got very nice pocket money, and it was perfect. Then I won this contest [the International Woolmark Prize, in 1954]. That is how I started.

On what languages he speaks:

"English, French, and German. I have a French accent, but in German I have a French accent too. It's more my way of talking."

On being spoiled:

"In my day, there were no vet video games. My father, though, he could never say no, so I got everything I wanted. I had a Bentley when I was 20."

On how conscious he is of his "brand":

"Unconscious. I don't wake up thinking, I am a brand, as long as we can make-believe that we are brand-new."

On what makes him happiest:

"To be in good health."

On his perfect day:

"Well, we work hard to make every day perfect."

On whether or not he ties his hair up for bed:

"Yes, I put it a little lower. I don't take showers at night because I take a bath when I wake up. Then I go to bed on the most beautiful Egyptian-cotton antique sheets in the world."

On whether or not he has someone to help pick out his outfits in the morning:

"Oh, no, I do everything. I hate that. I don't like people to touch me. But there is no kitchen in my house. They bring me food, like at a hotel, for lunch and dinner. Mostly I stay at home from the morning until 5 P.M., and I only go out for fittings and shoots because I work at home. I like to be alone."

On dealing with fans:

"I'm not very nice to them. Sometimes they can be very aggressive."

On life:

"When I was 24, my mother called me and said, 'It's only downhill from now.'"

On retirement:

"Everyone wants to know and hopes I retire so they can get the jobs. But my contracts with Fendi and Chanel are lifelong."