Where Chanel came from in France is anyone’s guess. She said one thing one day and another thing the next. She was a peasant—and a genius. Peasants and geniuses are the only people who count and she was both.

When I discovered dancing, I learned to dream.

The future holds a golden world. It will be for beauty; it will be for intelligent productiveness.

One is born with good taste. It's very hard to acquire. You can acquire the patina of taste. But what Elsie Mendl had was something else that's particularly American––an appreciation of vulgarity. Vulgarity is a very important ingredient in life. I'm a great believer in vulgarity––if it's got vitality. A little bad taste is like a nice splash of paprika. We all need a splash of bad taste––it's hearty, it's healthy, it's physical. I think we could use more of it. No taste is what I'm against.

I think allure is something around you, like a perfume or like a scent. It's like a memory ... it pervades.

I was always sort of a loner, I suppose. I always had to think out everything for myself... I suppose that is what you call a loner.

I certainly didn't learn anything in school. My education was the world.