I hate grunge. It was the worst period of my life.

I cannot imagine what an influence a five-week trip to the Orient had on me. I mean, the culture, the absorption of the Japanese way of life, the Japanese way of thinking, the discipline. The entire thing was an extraordinary experience. So these were more than memorable things to me.

You can squint and see something else, or something will come forward in the paint. You'll always see something else.

I loved the masculine style of dressing of Katharine Hepburn, who came from the same town that I came from. I was fascinated by the way she wore trousers. So I think the romanticism of the movies also influenced my life and my interest in fashion greatly.

I also had a huge crush on William Holden. I would go to see William Holden's movies alone - I didn't want to be with anybody. I just wanted to be with him.

I was fascinated looking at John Galliano's couture. They're just extraordinary extravaganzas and I love it. I love looking at it because it's like going to a museum.

I think Diana Vreeland recognized the passion and the energy I had. I stayed at Harper's Bazaar for two years, until I met my first husband and moved on to Philadelphia in 1952. But they were incredible years - wonderful, wonderful years. But, anyway, my career sort of took off from there. I was really blessed.