All of my life shown me that if you wanted something enough, if you were passionate enough, it would happen.

Clothes are expensive. You have to buy them, and to buy them, you have to believe in them.

When I first started to do fashion shows I didn't have the budget to hire top models so I would cast women who inspired me, and ask them to walk how they walked. I was doing a mise en scène, which for me was normal. I love for people to see my clothes, but it was more about the attitude of the girls. The revues of the late 19th century/early 20th century were very much a reflection of what was happening in society and politics, and for me that is also the role of the fashion designer.

It's good that there is more support of diversity but there is still a lot of resistance. I never saw it as fighting for a cause, though, for me it was spontaneous, I was doing what felt natural to me. I felt a part of it. I have always been attracted to what is new, interesting, funny, creative, the good things that were happening at that time in the world.

I can not forget Melina Mercouri in black dress at 'Never on Sunday'.

I have loved corsets since I was small. When I was a child, my grandmother took me to an exhibition, and they had a corset on display. I loved the flesh color, the salmon satin, the lace.

My clothes have always been expensive. Even though I have had a few lower-priced lines over the years, little by little everything I do tends toward the luxury market.