My mother was a huge influence on me - she was a free spirit and helped me appreciate, from a very early age, that everyone is different.

A woman tells a story with her clothes, but it's the shoe that carries her.

I never wanted to design clothes. I never wanted to work for the fashion industry. Shoes sort of belong to the fashion industry, which is why I'm part of the fashion industry. But that's never been my thought. My thought since I was a child was really to design those shoes for girls on stage.

My favorite sound is definitely mules. If it was an instrument, it's really pingthe touch of the black keys of the piano.

I hate the whole concept of comfort!

I never had a plan. I have to say, I'm very shocked when people start a company and say, 'In five years I want to launch a perfume, or in 10 years I want to have this.' How can you know?

I guess being French, I love Hollywood. I love Hollywood movies. Joseph Mankiewicz's 'All About Eve.' 'Mildred Pierce.'