I married a man who was in fashion. I began to work when my daughter Nathalie was about eight or 10 years old. Then one day I began to make a sweater, and eventually the sweater was on the front page of Elle magazine. And the day after I was the queen of knit in America.

Being one step ahead of a fashion trend is not so important to me. What matters is to always forge ahead.

The natures of men and women are very mixed and for me the most fascinating type of woman is the one who is a little masculine, has a little of the man in her, and the sort of man who is fabulous is the one who is a little woman too. It's impossible not to mix them!

With the exception of lingerie and theater I'm interested in everything to do with clothes and perfumes: everything which is an extension of woman.

I think that clothes should be a shelter like a house or a rug. I think that there is that element of protection and a uniform can be just that.

I have to say that the identity of a fashion designer is international today.

You know, the more grown-up you are, the more you like Proust.