Fashion is an illusion. It's a multibillion-pound industry that has to appear frivolous. Designers work and work and work, all night sometimes.

In a world where every man and his dog is a designer, Alexander McQueen was the real deal. His talent was supersonic.

Gaga is an entertainer, so a hat for her is part of the illusion of entertaining.

I'm Irish but I design something that is quintessentially English and I love hats.

I make hats for lots of iconic people, and that makes my job very interesting.

I believe in a democratic approach to fashion: if you feel good, then great. You may not look good, but it's not the problem.

You know that scenario where roses are red, leaves are green, I love arguing that. ‘Why should they be?’. I hate rules and formulas. That’s so boring. It’s the opposite of creativity. Rules are ridiculous things that are meant to be broken.