I didn't know who Calvin Klein was, really. But Brooke Shields, we knew her from those incredible commercials - "There's nothing between me and my Calvins." I knew very little about American fashion then. I had no money, and Charivari was very educational to me. And Parachute. I was fascinated by those stores. I couldn't buy anything; I just went through the clothes.

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

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.

I get so much inspiration from my travels, but I also started an exercise where I write down so many words every week. Then I begin crossing them off. We create a grid of words and also images, but words for me are more ample because you can interpret them your own way.

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.

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.