Meryl Streep is over drama of her Oscar dress, addresses Karl Lagerfeld’s slam

Meryl Streep accepts the Cecil B. DeMille Award during the 74th annual Golden Globe Awards.

Columnist

Feb. 25, 2017 8:39 PM PT

On the occasion of her record-breaking 20th Oscar nomination, Meryl Streep is over drama.

Days after Karl Lagerfeld told Women’s Wear Daily that Streep would wear only a dress made by a fashion line that paid her to do so, the actress has fired back at the Chanel designer in a impassioned statement.

“Karl Lagerfeld, a prominent designer, defamed me, my stylist and the illustrious designer whose dress I chose to wear, in an important industry publication,” the 67-year-old said on Saturday.

Furthermore, Streep said, the so-called “controversy” — yes, she used this word in quotes — has become such a popular story that the news is getting more traction than her best actress nod for “Florence Foster Jenkins.”

“[T]he story was picked up globally, and continues, globally, to overwhelm my appearance at the Oscars on the occasion of my record-breaking 20th nomination, and to eclipse this honor in the eyes of the media, my colleagues and the audience.”

How very “The Devil Wears Prada.” We’re having fabulous Miranda Priestly flashbacks.

While it remains to be seen whom Streep will be wearing in front of the flashbulbs Sunday, it obviously won’t be Chanel. Lagerfeld said Chanel initially planned to dress Streep for the big night, but after sketching a gown and beginning production, he was told “Don’t continue the dress. We found somebody who will pay us.”

Streep’s camp responded to the WWD remarks Thursday, insisting it was against her morals to accept payment for wearing a dress. Chanel followed up by saying the fashion house understood she was “considering options” from other designers, and that “when informed ... that Ms. Streep had chosen a dress by another designer there was no mention of the reason.”

That response clearly didn’t suffice for the star, who on Saturday said she still wants an apology from both Lagerfeld and WWD.

“I do not take this lightly, and Mr. Lagerfeld’s generic ‘statement’ of regret for this ‘controversy’ was not an apology. He lied, they printed the lie, and I am still waiting.”

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Amy Kaufman

Amy Kaufman is a columnist at the Los Angeles Times, where she writes the A-1 column “For Real With Amy Kaufman.” The series examines the lives of icons, underdogs and rising stars to find out who the people are shaping our culture — for real. Since joining The Times in 2009, she has profiled hundreds of influential figures including Stevie Nicks, Nick Cannon, Drew Barrymore and Lady Gaga. She is also an investigative reporter and was part of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize finalist team that covered the tragic shooting on the “Rust” film set. Her work often shines a light on the darker side of the entertainment business, and she has uncovered misconduct allegations against Randall Emmett and Russell Simmons. In 2018, her book “Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure” became a New York Times bestseller.