LOS ANGELES: Karl Lagerfeld, the creative director of brands Chanel and Fendi, disparaged the #MeToo movement asking models not to get in the profession if they "don't want" their "pants pulled about".
In an interview with Numero magazine, the designer, who over the years has ruffled feathers with controversial opinions on everything from Adele's weight to Kim Kardashian's 2016 robbery, said that he is "fed up" with the #MeToo movement, reports hollywoodreporter.com.
"What shocks me most in all of this are the starlets who have taken 20 years to remember what happened. Not to mention the fact there are no prosecution witnesses," he said.
He went on to criticise new regulations that have been adopted by some photo studios and modeling agencies with the interest of protecting young models.
"I read somewhere that now you must ask a model if she is comfortable with posing. It's simply too much, from now on, as a designer, you can't do anything," he said before going on to defend stylist Karl Templer, who was accused of sexual misconduct by a models who claimed he "aggressively (pulled) down their underwear without asking them" in an article published in February.
"It's unbelievable. If you don't want your pants pulled about, don't become a model! Join a nunnery, there will always be a place for you in the convent. They're recruiting even," Lagerfeld said.
According to hollywoodreporter.com, he added, however, that he "cannot stand Mr. Harvey Weinstein", but noted his distaste for the predatory movie producer was of a professional nature.