I have a total complex [because of my curls], though, because I got teased a lot as a kid.

It's hard to be shocking now. It's hard to challenge people because the Internet has allowed everyone to become much more worldly, much more visual. It's very hard to surprise people.

I wasn't as confident and creative in the beginning as I am now, so it was all very safe. But I was building my work, and it took me a long time. For a good five or six years I was just kind of bobbing around, doing everything and anything.

Everyone has an opinion and I think we're at a time which is very heated all over the world, so of course people will speak out. And they have every right to.

As the older ones, to understand that it is a different time, and young people look at fashion in a different way . . . It's just different. If we harp on about it, they'll feel like we're just old fuddy-duddies, so I just kind of get on with it. I still feel I've got things to say.

I think to many people, textured curls still signify 'difference.' And kids like to pick on what's different.

I'm not saying that everything I do is always tasteful - and maybe it's not always the normal idea of beauty - but hopefully it's always an empowering idea.