In Comme des Garçons, I hardly do any sketches; there's no fittings on bodies, there's no models that come in and say, "Oh, a little bit like this." In the beginning, there isn't even a theme. It's like getting the whole world at your feet - to empty your mind of everything that's ever happened before, to get an empty space.

The more people that are afraid when they see new creation, the happier I am. I think the media has some responsibility to bear for people becoming more conservative. Many parts of the media have created the situation where uninteresting fashion can thrive.

In the '70s, if anything, it was a more interesting time in fashion. It was a time when things were changing, especially in London.

It was also never wanting to be part of any group or movement or anything that was the done thing. I hated organization. When you have a group, you have a leader who is going to put down the rest of the group.

Most of the things I read from journalists are, you know, a little bit simplified and easy.

It would have more meaning for me to hear what critics have to say if their values and their ways of living were deeper and more serious.

Fashion is not art. The aims of fashion and art are different and there is no need to compare them.