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.

Style; all who have it have have one thing: originality.

I read everything! I would have read the phone book if you put it in front of me. I just read.

Money has nothing to do with style at all, but naturally it helps every situation.

Before even the technique, there is a dream. Chanel had it. The dream is everything.

You're not supposed to give people what they want, you're supposed to give them what they don't know that they want yet.

People who eat white bread have no dreams.