Meet Karl Lagerfeld's Long Lost Sister
Photo: Getty Images
Karl Lagerfeld is kind of a mystery. The German fashion designer has been a star in the fashion world for decades and yet all the public really knows about him is that he loves his cat Choupette, drinks Diet Coke out of a crystal goblet, and creates amazing clothes for brands like Chanel and Fendi. But in a recent profile of male model Brad Kroenig, the New York Times spent time with the Kaiser and got a rare glimpse into his elusive luxurious life.
Kroenig’s one of Lagerfeld’s muses, an integral part of a posse that accompanies the designer on private jets around the world while being primped, dressed, gifted, and photographed. “I see them like family,” Lagerfeld said. “I have no family at all, so it’s good to have, like, sons but without the unpleasant problems sons can create.” He views his relationship with the beautiful men as a choice, rather than an obligation. He explained: “There’s a big difference. I have a sister in America who I haven’t seen for 40 years. Her children never even send me a Christmas card.”
Related: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Karl Lagerfeld’s Cat, Choupette
Wanting to know more about Lagerfeld’s biological family, the Daily Mail tracked down his sister, who lives in rural Connecticut. Christiane Johnson, 83 (her brother is 81), hasn’t seen him in nearly half a century but has followed his career from the very beginning, collecting clippings from magazines and other publications ever since. “I haven’t seen him since the 1970s but people bring me articles and I keep them all,” she said. “I’m not angry, I know he’s really busy. He lives over there and I live here—it’s just one of those things.”
Related: Chanel Stages a ‘Feminist’ Protest in the Name of Fashion
Johnson admits that even though the siblings don’t keep in touch, she does know how to reach Lagerfeld. “I have the phone number for his kitchen but that doesn’t do me any good. Then there’s the six-hour time difference,” she said. Johnson also explained why the Chanel designer doesn’t receive any holiday cards from her kids. “He’s knows I’ve got grandchildren. My children don’t remember too much about him. They would like to meet him again—we all would.”
Lagerfeld did send his sister a letter just last year. In between designing 17 collections in 2014 alone, he wrote: “I just cannot believe that you will be 83 and I will soon turn 81. …Yet I am busier and more successful than ever. That is really incredible. Normally, people like me are retired for a long time but all of my deals (Chanel, Fendi etc.) are for life.”
If Lagerfeld does happen to find the time to visit Johnson stateside, she’ll be ready and waiting with his favorite beverage (and probably his butler) on hand. “I know that he only drinks Coca Cola. I will make sure I go get some if he comes to visit.”
