I would say that if something has an aesthetic value and it is pleasing to watch or to wear, it may in fact have nothing to do with status symbol. You just like to wear it.

People have to identify with something to show they have reached a certain goal. Anyway, in Russia it's done with medals. You put on all these medals to show who you are.

It would be very interesting to make a survey around the world, from wealthy countries to the most advanced countries to see what influence Americans have had. I

I don't think people today need to derive security from possessions.

If you have to sit the whole evening with the most famous person in the world and he is a goddamn bore, you will want to run away and if you sit with a person who's completely unknown, but he's fascinating, you are delighted.

As many Europeans and other people from other countries, I have been led into my present activity by a very specific American gift of trade.

Americans are responsible not only for really starting a lot of things in a lot of countries, but also for giving people the confidence to do things they might never have thought to do.