Mid-'80s in New York was fantastic. I remember my first Gay Pride parade in the city. Where I grew up was very sheltered, so when I got to the city, there was this freedom and so much happening. At the same time, there was this pressure of AIDS and everything else. New York is so different today.

I hate to sound esoteric, but there is something about a house that leads you to that one chair, that one corner, where you just sit and feel comfortable.

My parents had a factory, so I was linked to the textile and fashion industry.

Each season I strive to design a forward-thinking and effortless collection with a very clean minimalist aesthetic.

My birthday is May 10. I'm so Taurus, you would not even believe. All the Tauruses I know have this connection to the earth and the environment. We are very curious people, very loyal, very aware of and respectful of our surroundings. Also we're stubborn, but that's our way. We understand what we want, which is not bad.

I drape a lot. I cut. I have to touch. For me, it's almost impossible to start without that.

I could never before say that I loved color or that I understood color. But Oscar de la Renta opened up a side of my brain.