Modern life requires us to be more and more flexible in our attire.

Accessories are important and becoming more and more important every day. They can completely change the look of an outfit, and women like the idea of having a wardrobe that's versatile. For instance, a strong piece of jewelry can make a simple outfit look elegant.

The world is changing and so is fashion.

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.

I wanted to dress the woman who lives and works, not the woman in a painting.

Today, people no longer go out with a total look or ensemble taken straight from the runway. Customers mix and match between labels and between price points. The idea is to create something for yourself: what you want, and how you want it. I realize that shoppers want more flexibility and choice now.

Italy is not widely thought of as a pioneer of youth culture in the way, say, the UK is.