# Karl Lagerfeld says "Apart from fashion, jewellery, perfumes and wine France is not competitive" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 20, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345 "2012-10-20T18:59:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/1 "2012-10-20T18:59:44Z")
Does he have a point or is he blowing smoke? Quoted here [Designer Lagerfeld calls French president “idiot” over taxes](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49476986) > [@](#): > > Lagerfeld, a white-haired German designer rarely seen without dark glasses, high collar and gloves, sniffed that most French products were ignored by the buying public. > > “Outside of fashion, jewellery, perfume and wine, France isn’t competitive,” Lagerfeld said. “The rest of our products don’t sell. Who buys French cars? I don’t.” ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/2 "2012-10-20T20:07:42Z")
Cheese? ETA: I’m starting to think French wine actually _isn’t_ all that competitive for the price, anymore. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/3 "2012-10-20T20:28:04Z")
Apart from his ignorance about “competitive” Karl is largely correct: France is a high cost country to manufacture in. There are many reasons for this, but you don’t find French manufactured goods in the same class as German, American, or Japanese made goods. Take automobiles: Renault is a very large manufacturer, but they are not in the N. American market, and are only a minor player in S. America. reason? The cars they make are either not as good as the competition, or cost more for the same level of quality. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/4 "2012-10-20T21:41:37Z")
Furthermore the French are about to introduce insanely confiscatory tax rates and essentially destroy their economy, which is of course a bad thing for the rest of us in Europe, en aggregate. But over here we’re rubbing our hands in glee as hopefully we can attract some of the entrepeneurial French people over here. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/5 "2012-10-20T21:43:27Z")
Besides fashion, jewelry, perfume, and wine, what else is France \*expected \*to be competitive in? > [@Knorf](#): > > ETA: I’m starting to think French wine actually _isn’t_ all that competitive for the price, anymore. As a Californian, I’d have to agree. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/6 "2012-10-20T21:48:16Z")
They’re the world leaders in nuclear power, by a long margin. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/7 "2012-10-20T22:51:50Z")
I thought France was almost 100% fashion, jewellery, perfume, and wine. That’s more than most countries have. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2012, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/8 "2012-10-20T23:44:21Z")
> [@astro](#): > > **Karl Lagerfeld says “Apart from fashion, jewellery, perfumes and wine France is not competitive”** > [@GuanoLad](#): > > I thought France was almost 100% fashion, jewellery, perfume, and wine. That’s more than most countries have. Yeah; my thought upon reading the title was “doesn’t that put them four up over most countries?” ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/9 "2012-10-21T01:29:14Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Yeah; my thought upon reading the title was “doesn’t that put them four up over most countries?” Notwithstanding their various difficulties, I’d take the [French economy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_France) over Chad’s any day of the week. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/10 "2012-10-21T01:43:03Z")
Don’t forget Ubisoft! They are pretty feckin’ big! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/11 "2012-10-21T01:56:34Z")
Their fries are almost universally loved! And OMG, their kisses! ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/12 "2012-10-21T01:59:41Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Their fries are almost universally loved! > > And OMG, their kisses! I’d take a French kiss over a Dutch oven. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/13 "2012-10-21T02:21:37Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Take automobiles: Renault is a very large manufacturer, but they are not in the N. American market, and are only a minor player in S. America. reason? The cars they make are either not as good as the competition, or cost more for the same level of quality. For various reasons North America is just a tough market to break into, especially as an independent company. The French brands never really made much of an effort. There’s lots of German and Asian brands that similarly haven’t really made inroads in the US. As to the OP, Airbus seems to be doing alright manufacturing in France. Michelin tires are another one. Back during that whole kerfuffle, there was a truck driving around my neighborhood that had one of those Bill O’Reilly “boycott France” bumper stickers AND a nice new set of Michelins mounted white letters out! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/14 "2012-10-21T02:40:33Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Notwithstanding their various difficulties, I’d take the [French economy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_France) over Chad’s any day of the week. > [@](#): > > France has the world’s fifth largest economy by nominal figures and the ninth largest economy by PPP figures.[7] It has the second largest economy in Europe (behind its main economic partner Germany) in nominal figures. Yeah; they aren’t exactly Third World. Also, I [note](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/France#Society): > [@](#): > > In January 2010, the International Living ranked France as “best country to live in”, ahead of 193 other countries surveyed, for the fifth year running, according to a survey taking in account 9 criteria of quality of life: Cost of Living, Culture and Leisure, Economy, Environment, Freedom, Health, Infrastructure, Safety and Risk and Climate Which is more important than them being “economically competitive”; really, if they are a nice place to live, then they’ve won the competition that really matters. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/15 "2012-10-21T03:56:06Z")
Wiki has a [list of French companies](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_companies). There’s a ton of them that I, as an American who doesn’t pay much attention to business news or branding, recognize. ---
**Author:** ![littlespeedysuperbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@littlespeedysuperbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/littlespeedysuperbike)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/16 "2012-10-21T04:36:56Z")
Framatome, Airbus, Dassault Systemes, and EADS would probably disagree. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/17 "2012-10-21T11:44:37Z")
Renault’s really big here in South Africa. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/18 "2012-10-21T11:52:55Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > Don’t forget Ubisoft! They are pretty feckin’ big! Despite their best efforts to the contrary. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/19 "2012-10-21T13:52:02Z")
So, is Lagerfeld an economist who knows what he is talking about? No, he is a rich celebrity who, because of his celebrity, can get his random right-wing political opinions broadcast. ---
**Author:** ![Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Throatwarbler\_Mangrove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Throatwarbler_Mangrove)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345/20 "2012-10-21T14:09:33Z")
> [@GreasyJack](#): > > For various reasons North America is just a tough market to break into, especially as an independent company. The French brands never really made much of an effort. There’s lots of German and Asian brands that similarly haven’t really made inroads in the US. It’s more accurate to say that compared to most countries, the US/Canada are actually the easiest and most open market to break into. There are no punitive tariffs of any significance or any other big barriers to entry, no/few VATs, the currency is free floating, (until recently) no bevy of government backed “national champions” to compete with, etc. Thus car companies actually have to have compelling products and compete on the merits of their engineering. That’s why the Volkswagen group, the largest car maker in the world, has never been able to make a profit or really any inroads at all into the North American market. To succeed in America you actually have to make good cars, whereas in the rest of the world e.g. VW’s biggest market China, you basically win by selling junk while using the money you save to bribe government regulators. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/karl-lagerfeld-says-apart-from-fashion-jewellery-perfumes-and-wine-france-is-not-competitive/638345.md?page=2)