Cara Delevingne defends Karl Lagerfeld after Jameela Jamil labels him a 'fat-phobic misogynist'
Model Cara Delevingne has challenged Jameela Jamil over divisive comments she made about Chanel fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld, hours after he passed away on Tuesday.
Amid a flurry of social media tributes to the late icon, the ‘The Good Place’ actress took to Twitter to call out mourners praising the 85-year-old as a “saint gone-too-soon”.
“A ruthless, fat-phobic misogynist shouldn’t be posted all over the internet as a saint gone-too-soon,” the 32-year-old said. “Talented for sure, but not the best person.”
I’m glad somebody said it. Even if it is a little soon. A ruthless, fat-phobic misogynist shouldn’t be posted all over the internet as a saint gone-too-soon. Talented for sure, but not the best person. https://t.co/RK3Q9HilpP
— Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamil) February 19, 2019
The tweet is in reference to a number of controversial comments the designer made over the course of his seven decade-long career from criticising Pippa Middleton’s appearance to claiming that “no one wants to see curvy women” on the catwalk.
Delevingne – who worked closely alongside Lagerfeld for a number of years – promptly took to the social media platform to call out Jamil’s comments.
@jameelajamil I understand what you were trying to do and I apologize if I offended you or anyone else. I just don’t feel that living in the past and bringing up things that have already happened helps anything. Let’s move forward and lead with love. That’s it…
— Cara Delevingne (@Caradelevingne) February 20, 2019
“I understand what you were trying to do and I apologise if I offended you or anyone else,” the model tweeted. “I just don’t feel that living in the past and bringing up things that have already happened helps anything. Let’s move forward and lead with love. That’s it…”
In response, Jamil argued that the late designer’s past body-shaming comments and “toxic misogny” hurt a large number of people and for that, he should not be “hailed as if he was a saint”.
I didn’t find you offensive. I just think it hurts a lot of fat people, and people who he was racist about, and people who were affected by his toxic misogyny, to see someone like that hailed as if he was a saint. We have privelege so he was nice to us. He hurt a lot of people.❤️
— Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamil) February 20, 2019
But Delevingne stuck to her word and emphasised that he was not a “bad human” and “we should be talking about the people alive, in power, ruling the world who are hurting, destroying far more lives than this man who has passed only yesterday”.
This is a really interesting thread between two people with very different views who aren’t trying to win, or be rude, just trying to appeal to the other’s empathy. About Karl Lagerfeld. https://t.co/4jwoB4u7d9
— Jameela Jamil (@jameelajamil) February 20, 2019
Despite the debate, Jamil insisted that their social media exchange is simply “a really interesting thread between two people with very different views who aren’t trying to win, or be rude, just trying to appeal to the other’s empathy”.
Though she’s not the only one to have been criticised for speaking out against Lagerfeld within hours of his death.
Yesterday, animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) came under fire for releasing a controversial statement against the designer.
The press release – published on behalf of PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk – read:
“Karl Lagerfeld has gone, and his passing marks the end of an era when fur and exotic skins were seen as covetable. PETA sends condolences to our old nemesis’s loved ones.”
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