Karl Ove Knausgaard

Bella Freud interviews Karl Ove Knausgaard on "Fashion Neurosis," exploring the intersection of personal style, identity, and the creative process. Knausgaard reflects on his evolving relationship with clothes, from childhood desires for specific items to teenage rebellion against societal norms, revealing how clothing became a means of self-expression and a shield against vulnerability. He recounts his experience with societal pressures around masculinity, recalling how he was shamed for expressing interest in clothes as a boy. Knausgaard also discusses the connection between his writing and personal exposure, noting how his desire to be unprotected influenced both his literary style and appearance. He touches on his family relationships, particularly with his father and grandmother, and how those dynamics shaped his understanding of love, control, and self-destruction.