Petra Von Kant is an arrogant, caustic and self-satisfied fashion designer who constantly mistreats Marianne, her slavish assistant. When Petra meets young aspiring model Karin, however, she immediately falls in love and invites Karin to move in, promising to advance her modeling career. But Karin vies for freedom and eventually goes back to her husband, causing Petra to fall into a downward spiral of irrational jealousy and hysteria.
"It's easy to pity, Sidonie, but so much harder to understand. If you understand someone, don't pity them, change them. Only pity what you can't understand."