I don't think taste is about money. As your career develops, you're able to decide what to spend your money on. I live in a really small apartment in London, and that's a choice. I live at The Carlyle in New York, but it's not big. It's about making choices of style over flashiness. People's style is subjective and mine happens to be around the classical because I feel comfortable with that, and because of my background. I'm probably living in the wrong time. I should have lived in the Thirties or the Fifties.

The big challenge is a suit not worn with a tie. To me, it's a very odd look. David Cameron and many of our British politicians have adopted this look. I think it is challenging for men to look chic in casual clothing. Most people just want to wear T-shirts and baggy shorts and don't really care, whereas in the old days people used to really dress well in their leisure time. The suit has become a victim of that. day to dress in an appropriate way.

‎He often envied people who hadn't read his favourite books. They had such happiness before them.

The two things, love and snow, that make the world look fresh again

When I was younger I always had a dark navy, black tie and everybody would look at me like it was odd, but now it is de rigueur. I'm sure it's my input.

On the plane the other day, there was man who was wearing a tank top, shorts and Birkenstocks - and I don't think that's acceptable. First class should have a f - ing dress code. It's not about money. It's about education. When you build an environment where people can study well, they'll work better. If you teach people to dress correctly, to take personal hygiene seriously, when we teach them about culture, they will be greater.

There's nowhere that life feels more eternal, your dimwit youth more important, than Paris.