Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:00p.m.
Karl Lagerfeld on a poster with model Erin Wasson (Reuters)
Karl Lagerfeld's mother destroyed his childhood diary because it was "stupid".
The creative director of Chanel admits the experience had a profound effect on him, and is part of the reason he never thinks about collections once they have been shown to the public.
He said: "When I was very young, I kept a diary at my parents' house. My mother always hated that house and sold it when my father died. She put all my things in storage, but when I asked her about the diary, she said, 'I destroyed it - you don't want everyone to know how stupid you are.'
"Perhaps she was right! It is not good to look back on life. As soon as a collection is shown, I am thinking about the next one. I am only interested in what I am doing, what I will do, not what I did."
Karl began working at Chanel in 1983, and his work with the brand has seen its profits grow and popularity soar among the Hollywood elite.
He claims the French fashion house - which is favourite among stars including Keira Knightley, Audrey Tautou and Vanessa Hudgens - has become more successful because it is evolving more than it used to, adding founded Coco Chanel was too set in her ways to embrace change.
He explained: "When I took over, people thought Chanel was passe. Coco didn't adapt to the cards of fashion. When the miniskirt came in, she rejected it out of hand, saying that it was an impossible fashion. Yet everyone wanted one. If you don't adapt, the world goes on without you."
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