Living fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld has blasted “fat mummies” for their attitudes against skinny models.

The 71-year-old Chanel designer criticized Brigitte magazine’s announcement that they will only use “ordinary, realistic” models in future, insisting that people prefer looking at slim women and the “absurd” decision was driven by overweight women who did not want to be reminded of their body problems.

“These are fat mummies sitting with their bags of crisps in front of the television, saying that thin models are ugly. Fashion is all about dreams and illusions, and no one wants to see round women.”

Another designer, John Ribbe, has also spoken out, saying the row over models’ weight is becoming hysterical: “It’s just as much a cliche as saying that all models take drugs and get drunk at sex orgies. Ninety per cent of them are quite normal, properly proportioned girls with less fat and more muscles who also eat pizzas and burgers.”

Brigitte are planning to release their first edition with non-professional models on January 2nd and are urging readers to sign up for photo sessions, saying that they are tired of having to “fatten up” pictures. Editor Andrea Lebert said, “We will show women that have their own identity—the 18-year-old A-level student, the company chairwoman, the musician, the footballer.”