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 try to be aware of technology and Japanese animation and old Belgian paintings, and get all my references from bits of everywhere.

I used to have more meltdowns backstage than I do [now].... It's not that it was ever cool, but right now, it just seems very uncool to have a meltdown. I'm not saying I'll never have one! But I've learnt to stop it just before it happens.

I worked in salons, where you do learn the basic sort of thing. But I didn't know anything about the kinds of things I'm doing now. I learned how to put hot-rollers in.

I must say, Gisele's [Bundhen] got some of the best hair I've ever touched.

I got into hairdressing and moved from Dorset to London, where I got an apprenticeship at Vidal Sassoon. This was around '83 or '84. I was working on South Molton Street, which was then the epicenter of all the shops. It was like a catwalk. So I did my apprenticeship there, but I wasn't successful.

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.