“You should put on the best version of yourself when you go out in the world because that is a show of respect to the other people around you.”

I want to make beautiful clothes for women and men who appreciate detail and quality. The product must be the best but this is almost secondary to the service the customer will receive.

I am not a person who is about reality. I am about enhanced reality.

I think people are sick of trends changing every six months – not because we’re tired of them, but just for the sake of change. There is so much junk in the world: junk TV, junk movies, all those junk magazines with the same people on the cover.

From the time we’re born until we die, we’re kept busy with artificial stuff that isn’t important.

I don’t wear a lot of color. In fact, I don’t actually like color on myself. I love color but it’s very challenging, it’s very powerful, it can overpower you. I think if my eyes were closed and someone put a red jacket on me, I would be able to feel that it was red. I don’t feel great in color.

The Gucci woman – you know what she’s after. The Saint Laurent woman – she’s going to torture you a little bit. You might have sex, but she will drip a little hot wax on you first.

You have to be passionate, you have to be engaged and you have to be contributing to the world.

Never, ever, ever wear anything you are uncomfortable in. Because that is what you’ll project: ‘I look like a fool.’

I’m very direct. I don’t have tantrums. I don’t yell or shout. I do expect an awful lot from my staff, but no more than I expect of myself.

I probably do have an obsessive personality, but striving for perfection has served me well

Every season, really, has their own chemistry.

Style for me is some one who figures out who they are. What works on them. What they feel good in and develops that. Develops their character. And the outer expression of their character is what is style.

When you find somebody good, keep them in your life.

Glamour is something more than what you put on your body. It has to do with the way you carry yourself and the impact you have on others.

It’s funny, our beauty standard has become harder and tougher because we live in a tough age. I don’t think anyone wants to walk down the street and feel vulnerable. You want to walk down the street and feel like you’re in control.

What is important is that we stop and realize, “Okay. This is fine. I can enjoy that. But what is really important, what I’m really going to take away with me from this life, is my connection with other people.