Karl Lagerfeld’s Sister Is Just a Regular Grandma Living in Connecticut

We all know it’s friggin’ great being in Karl Lagerfeld’s crew, but if you’re a member of his actual family, you’re watching the designer live out his fabulous life from the sidelines, brimming with pride. Or at least you are if you’re Christiane Johnson, Lagerfeld’s older sister who lives in Portland, Connecticut.

In a recent The New York Times article outlining the life of Brad Kroenig, a member of Lagerfeld’s crew, the designer mentions that his entourage is like his family since he has none. He briefly mentions his sister, but adds that she and her ilk never send him Christmas cards.

Well, if there is any bad blood between the designer and his sister, she certainly doesn’t know it. The Daily Mail caught up with the 83-year-old big sis of the fashion mogul, who says she is very proud of her brother and has clippings of his accomplishments in her home. Johnson and Lagerfeld have not seen each other since the 70s. She says they started drifting after he became a hit in Paris. One of the last times she saw him, Lagerfeld came in a limo to visit her in Portland. “That was the time when limousines were a bit special. The whole town saw a limousine come through – that was really something. I think he had his glasses on.” But of course he did.

Johnson says she hasn’t seen her brother over the years because of his busy schedule and how difficult it is to coordinate spending time together. They do occasionally write each other and she says that she would welcome Lagerfeld with open arms if he came to visit her in Connecticut again.

We know Lagerfeld’s a busy guy, but we have a hard time imagining him being too busy to not see his flesh and blood for over 40 years. That’s a really long time. And considering how accommodating Mr. Lagerfeld is with those he is not related to, it seems a little hard to believe he couldn’t invite his sister, her children or any of his six grand nieces and nephews at least to a Chanel fashion show. But who knows? Family stuff is complicated.

Connecticut isn’t that far from New York City — maybe he’ll have the family come around to see the Paris-Salzburg Métiers d’Art show in March…or maybe not.

[via Daily Mail]

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