Rankin thinks Karl Lagerfeld must have been drunk when he slated Heidi Klum.

Chanel designer Lagerfeld has been engaged in a war of words with the German model ever since he called her “too fat to model” and criticized her husband Seal’s appearance earlier this year, but fashion photographer Rankin has hit out at the designer, saying Heidi is on a par with Kate Moss and Claudia Schiffer.

“I don’t think he knows what he’s talking about. He’s a funny one, Karl Lagerfeld, he doesn’t say anything for years and then when he does it’s so off the mark. Maybe he’d had a couple of drinks.”

Rankin, who has photographed most of the world’s top models during his career, praised the model’s worth ethic and versatility: “Kate and Heidi never turn up late - maybe half an hour late - they’re never difficult, never unmanageable.

“Heidi has an amazing ability to be able to step between high fashion, high street fashion, catalogue and mainstream TV and it’s very unusual. I don’t think there’s anyone else in the world - Claudia Schiffer maybe - who can do the same.”