I grew up in such a small city, I had to be popular or I'd be dead. So I had to be popular!

You need something that puts a little distance between what you really are and what you want to show; it's a shield, a protection.

Couture has a lot of issues today. Here in Paris there are oddly so few houses showing. And I'm not talking about the style. I'm talking about the sense of couture and these young actresses that you were talking about - they want long dresses that are not always the most innovative or the most interesting. So it's a bit lost.

I can say, let's go to the DNA of the brand and find something that I can introduce into my work. It's part of the patrimony of fashion.

Fashion is a playground up until a certain age. But then you have to find your own signature and your own style.

Your priority has to be the creativity - and build a brand. That's what everybody did - Balenciaga, Dior, Saint Laurent. That's the smart thing to do.

There is something I think we share, which is, of course, an appreciation for Helmut Lang. I think at a certain point he really changed so many things in fashion. I'm a bit younger than Helmut, but from my point of view he provided a true entrance into this new way of thinking - not being invaded into couture.