Of course, the muscular build of athletes is always a challenge for a designer, but my clothing's softness and comfort, which are central aspects of my stylistic vision, allow it to adapt to various physical builds effortlessly.

Sports will always be important in global culture, and so fashion, as a reflection of cultural trends, will always incorporate influences from sports.

Today we no longer live in a way that is constrained by simple working or leisure environments - we travel, we work on laptops in coffee shops, we go out to dinner straight from work.

Retailing has become fiercely competitive. Today there are many large global fashion companies who have opened up mono-brand stores in major cities around the world. When I first opened my boutique in New York, in 1985, there were almost no other European luxury brands present with their own stores. Now Fifth Avenue is packed with huge stores from major Italian and French labels.

Elegance does not catch the eye. It stays in memory.

I find that fashion recently has been a little too hasty. Often times, it's put together quickly to catch the attention of the media, and I didn't want to do that.

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