It was a long time ago, we were in the office, and we had finished work exhausted. A friend of a friend said 'Hey, take this it will give you energy,' so I thought I'd try it. I didn't know what it was. It made me laugh and laugh, like crazy...to the point that my back hurt' *he holds his hips* 'like I'd just had a baby.

Working with Cate Blanchett, on and off the screen, has always been a highlight for me. She embodies the perfect combination of consummate actor and world-class fashion icon.

Anyone who is passionate about what they do will have a better chance of connecting with future generations than those who simply follow transient trends. At least their work will have a distinctive character, and this is what people respond to, I believe.

The goal I seek is to have people refine their style through my clothing without having them become victims of fashion.

All my work at Armani is based primarily on my personal vision of style, and while I differentiate between the look and mood of my various labels, I am never overly concerned with being 'on trend.'

Why do I put myself in a position to be cast aside or not considered as I would like to? Because I am a creative mind, because I still aspire to be one.

When I go on my boat or to my vacation houses, where I still unfortunately spend very little time, I don't go with the celebrities I know but with a close group of friends and people who have worked with me for a long time.