I love the romance of Paris. I love Angelina [tearoom and pastry shop]. I always get a Mont-blanc [pastry] there.

The polishedness and the sophistication were what I was interested in. I mean, give me a polka dot, a floral print, a pleated dress, a big fur coat, that was always my language, and it wasn't very "in" when I was starting out, so I had a difficult time in the beginning.

As a designer you have to just do whatever you want to do. The second I came to terms with that, it transformed my work.

I guess I accidentally became a part of history. Honestly, when you're young and you're a designer, you have a goal, but that is not the kind of goal that you even think it's possible to achieve.

We all want to be a little glamorous, a little playful and a little mischievous at times.

I need to feel like I'm part of something. I need to feel part of the world when I go to sleep.

I worked 10 years as a toy designer before I started my career as a fashion designer. It's something I just fell into and really liked.