Some days I feel like a piano: kind of short, always in black & white, always expected to produce music.

H&M approached us to collaborate, and see if we could translate the dream we created at Lanvin to a wider audience, not just a dress for less. I have said in the past that I would never do a mass-market collection, but what intrigued me was the idea of H&M going luxury rather than Lanvin going public. This has been an exceptional exercise, where two companies at opposite poles can work together because we share the same philosophy of bringing joy and beauty to men and women around the world.

After every show, I say to Hania [Destelle, a friend], ‘They hated it.’

The designers, photographers and models I work with, they are really hard-working people who are devoting their lives to fashion. They're kind of like nuns of fashion.

When a woman's clothes are in harmony with her emotions, she shines from within.

For me, Lancome was more than just a brand. There was something very nostalgic about the name, about the whole story.

I'm not a plastic surgeon, and I cannot change the DNA of a person, but when I see a woman try on my clothes and she feels beautiful, I know I am doing my job.