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 came to New York in 1986. My father didn't think it was a good idea. I didn't know how I found it, but I went to Hunter College. I had no money and I couldn't speak English.

I'm not an artist. I'm a fashion designer of clothes.

I cannot live without art: it excites me, it challenges me, and it leads me to the next thing.

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.

Milan, for me, is a city of discovery. You can find some amazing gardens behind some great houses; I also love finding beautiful galleries and incredible shops, but you have to explore. And the food is amazing.

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.