My love of fashion stemmed from my mother's passion for it.

I didn't even have a portfolio, but I went to Tom Ford the next morning. He said, "I'd love you to come in with me. Get a lawyer." It was quite exciting, obviously, because it was a complete departure. But mind you, what he was looking for was the exact opposite of what I thought. My first collection for him was Cher-inspired. It was flower trousers, California, hippie cool, all the stuff I did at Oscar. It was making me sick. I wanted to see the other side of the spectrum. Tom was always very secure about the way he did things, so it was quite interesting for me.

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.

My mom. She was quite a character. Open-minded. It was a very small town, and she started her own business, manufacturing children's wear. She was very dynamic. Her death was like the umbilical cord being cut. That's when I moved to America.

I don't listen to music when designing. We create in silence. I go through a torturous process because everything has to be precise and right.

I just hate people who are lazy. To be on my team, you have to have energy and a sense of wanting to learn. That really excites me.

I hope the average woman feels she needs practicality but with a little bit of fantasy. Otherwise it's just not fashion.