“Creating is a lonely thing in a lot of ways.”

I want to put a soul in a garment. I don’t want my clothes to be perfect, because human beings are not perfect.

Who could imagine a poet wearing anything other than black?

I work for men that I would love to meet, somebody who I could fall in love with, someone who intrigues me.

I just wait because I think people will find me. And I’m not the kind of person who will knock on somebody’s door. I wait. If they’re good for me, they will come towards me.

For me black is not dark, it’s poetic. I don’t think of gothic I think of classic – it’s a big difference.

Black is not sad. Black is poetic.

I never leave anything behind. It’s like a history, a chain, a line of life, you just have to move and make new steps, and keep it evolving – but my soul is my soul.

Good fashion for me is like rock ‘n’ roll – there’s always a little rebellion in it.

A new time is coming both for my personal life, and the brand Ann Demeulemeester. I feel it’s time to separate our paths.

I’d like to cut an attitude into clothes.

Fashion has a right to exist, because it permits the people to define themselves over and over again.

Jewelry is something that has to do with emotion. That aspect of jewelry really interests me.

Those that think my clothes are androgynous also still believe that women should look like Barbie dolls. That’s precisely the problem, the deep-rooted assumptions about what is feminine.

I’ve always been intrigued by cutout silhouettes. They are so intriguing, so poetic-the shadow of a soul. They tell everything about a character and they are open to be filled with one’s own imagination.

Black is not sad. Bright colours are what depress me. They’re so empty. Black is poetic. How do you imagine a poet? In a bright yellow jacket? Probably not.

Fashion has a reason to be, because in fashion you can find new kinds of expression about human beings. It’s my way to communicate.

He’s a little bit you and a little bit me. But mostly he is himself. Filled with empathy, curiosity, and creativity. And wrapped in our love.

Fear creates space for creativity. Love creates space for healing.

Daydream, imagine, and reflect. It’s the source of infinite creativity.

To live creatively free, do what you know how to do now, then ‘act as if’ you know how to do the rest.

I view my role more as trying to set up an environment where the personalities, creativity and individuality of all the different employees come out and can shine.

You can’t have creativity unless you leave behind the bounded, the fixed, all the rules

I’m irrational about all things creative and I’m always late!

An important scientific innovation rarely makes its way by gradually winning over and converting its opponents: What does happen is that the opponents gradually die out.