PARIS - He threw a 70th birthday party in 2008 and a 79th four years later, so fashion followers might be forgiven a little scepticism following Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld's latest pronouncement on the subject of his age.

Always a dapper figure in sharply tailored suits, high collared shirts and trademark ponytail and dark glasses, the legendary German couturier says he is in fact 77.

In an interview with French magazine Paris Match, Lagerfeld said he was born in 1935 but that his mother for unknown reasons changed his date of birth on the official documentation resulting in the confusion.

"My mother changed the date. It was easier to make a 3 or an 8," he said without elaborating.

"I found this out after her death and I don't know why she did it," he added.

The Paris-based designer was born Karl Lagerfeldt in Hamburg but later dropped the final 't' for commercial reasons. His first collection in 1958 was shown under the name Roland Karl.

Lagerfeld's Wikipedia page now states that he was born on September 10, 1935.