The iconic French stylist breaks down her love of her native country and the impact French culture has had on her life. 

St. Tropez-born Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele is one of the iconic, outlandish figures known for bringing French attitude to American soil. The stylist famously helmed Anna Wintour&#39;s first Vogue USA cover and helped Karl Lagerfeld revamp Chanel in the 1990s, injecting a bold, fun-loving outlook into all of her projects. Dudzeele is one to scoff at trends, instead opting for classique&nbsp;pieces with an enduring quality quite like her own, always enveloped in gold chains and a Chanel jacket. Appointed Editor-At-Large at&nbsp;Lucky&nbsp;Magazine in 2013, Dudzeele&#39;s presence has graced hundreds of pages, solidifying her name as a fashion expert, eccentric, and legend. L&#39;Officiel sat down with the style savant to ask her about growing up in France and the creative contemporaries she&#39;s known throughout the years.

JOSEPH AKEL: If you could use one word to describe French style, what would it be?

CARLYNE CERF DE DUDZEELE:&nbsp;#CerfStyle

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JA: What is it about French culture that lends itself to being a global center of fashion?

CCD: The country is endlessly imbued with culture.

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JA: Growing up, what was your introduction to French style?

CCD: My extraordinary mother!

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JA: Who were your icons, your inspirations?

CCD: Being raised in Saint Tropez at this time.

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JA: You&#39;ve worked with all of the great French houses and the creative geniuses behind them--Karl Lagerfeld, Azzedine Ala&iuml;a. Was there an energy, a spirit, that made them so influential, so inspired?

CCD: Greatest Human Beings! Greatest Simplicity! Greatest Fun! Greatest Geniuses! Each with an infinite culture of EVERYTHING!

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JA: What was it like to work with these icons?

CCD: Honesty. Humor. And no bullshit.

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JA: America has been your home for some time. When you go back to France, what do you most look forward to?

CCD: L&rsquo;Art de Vivre!

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JA: Paris: what do you love most about it?

CCD: EVERYTHING!

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JA: Last question: Simone de Beauvoir or Catherine Millet?

CCD: Simone de Beauvoir.

Dive Inside the Mind of Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele

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