The Mysterious Mr Lagerfeld review: it’s all very frivolous, but great fun
BBC documentary offers an entertaining look at the enigmatic fashion designer
When the fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld died in 2019, he “was eulogised as the last of the old guard”, said Rebecca Nicholson in The Guardian. This feature-length BBC documentary aims to “demystify the man behind those famous sunglasses” – and it does so with panache.
Directed by Michael Waldman, the film gives a “rounded picture” of an individual who could be exceedingly generous to those who were “in”, and ruthless to those who were “out”. Many of Lagerfeld’s inner circle talk about him here publicly for the first time, and there is also archive footage of Lagerfeld reflecting on his own life, from taking over at Chanel (Coco was “a mean bitch; I have nothing against mean bitches”), to his reinvention of himself as a celebrity. The film is “gossipy and serious, thorough and frothy, and the 90 minutes breeze by”.
It helps that Lagerfeld himself was a scream, said Anita Singh in The Daily Telegraph. There are also some wonderful interviewees. For instance, Carine Roitfeld, the former editor-in-chief of French Vogue, informs us that Lagerfeld’s cat once deliberately destroyed a scarf that she’d given him for Christmas: “Choupette is not a nice girl.” It’s all very frivolous, but great fun.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
It’s “zippy” all right, said Carol Midgley in The Times, but there are things I would have liked to have heard more about, such as Lagerfeld’s “visceral hatred of fatness”. He was notorious for having said that Adele was too fat; but he even judged the supermodel Heidi Klum to be “simply too heavy”.
Where to watch: BBC iPlayer
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Who actually needs life insurance?
The Explainer If you have kids or are worried about passing on debt, the added security may be worth it
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Sexual wellness trends to know, from products and therapies to retreats and hotels
The Week Recommends Talking about pleasure and sexual health is becoming less taboo
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Is the AI bubble deflating?
Today's Big Question Growing skepticism and high costs prompt reconsideration
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Sarah Langan recommends 6 women-centric horror books
Feature The horror novelist recommends works by Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 spacious homes for car lovers
Feature Featuring a 14-car showroom in Oregon and a Bentley-style apartment in Florida
By The Week Staff Published
-
6 serene homes in Vermont
Features Featuring a four-level Shaker barn in Hartland and a Scandinavian-inspired home in Stowe
By The Week US Published
-
Amanda Montell's 6 favorite books that will expand your knowledge
Feature The linguist recommends works by Mary Roach, Alice Carrière, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Rowan Beaird recommends 6 compelling books from the 1950s
Feature The author recommends works by Patricia Highsmith, Shirley Jackson, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 spacious homes with great rec rooms
Feature Featuring a suspended fireplace in Arizona and a marine-themed home in Maine
By The Week Published
-
Recipe: gnocchi di spinaci (spinach gnocchi)
The Week Recommends Forget the potatoes for this gnocchi made of the 'classic combination' of spinach and ricotta
By The Week UK Published
-
Stephen Graham Jones' 6 scary books with deeper meanings
Feature The best-selling author recommends works by Stephen King, Sara Gran, and more
By The Week US Published