Karl Lagerfeld

Social Study

In the fashion world, the sun, moon, and stars rise for The Kaiser— Karl Lagerfeld—who proves in this month's Proust Questionnaire that he is also the style monde's philosopher king

What is your most marked characterstics? Curiosity—intellectual voyeurism.

What is your favorite occupation?

My job: doing collections; taking photos; sketching portraits, cartoons, illustrations. Reading, reading, reading. Looking, looking, looking.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Not to think about it.

Who are your heroes in real life?

I am not a hero freak.

What is your greatest extravagance?

Too many houses, too many antiques, too many servants.

What are your favorite names?

Louis XIV, Louis XV, Louis XVI.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

"Amusant."

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

My superficial part I'm always fighting against.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I got used to me.

On what occasion do you lie?

To keep everybody happy—including myself.

What is your favorite journey?

To a bookshop. I have my favorite in any city I go to often.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?

Voltaire's Candide.

Which living person do you most admire?

I admire people who take care of old people.

Which living person do you most despise?

Lots of politicians.

What is your greatest fear?

Bad health—more for the people I like than for myself.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

I never judge other people. I take them with their defects.

What is it that you most dislike?

I vaguely fight not to dislike too many things or too many people. It's too easy. I dislike poorly groomed persons whom you have to cope with professionally.

I'm always a little optimistic because I don't expect anything.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I'm so naive that I think it is still to come.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

A question too sad to answer.

What is your most treasured possession?

A few letters, a few handwritten notes. The rest is not important. You can't take it with you, anyway.

What is your greatest regret?

I hate regrets—I prefer remorse.

How would you like to die?

Without knowing, in my sleep, without being sick.

What is your motto?

"Slow catastrophes finally pass quite quickly, too."