I always knew I wanted to make my own way; I never wanted to be dependent on my father.

I had to put the company through a reorg, raise a new round of financing, and sort of press the restart button. But my feeling was that I wasn't going to be bullied. I wasn't going to let them take me down. I had to pull myself together and move forward.

People who are over-educated become risk-averse.

The reality is that I spent years in the factories in Italy when I first set up Jimmy Choo. Today, everyone who has a job at Jimmy Choo, I've done their job - right down to the cleaner.

When someone asks about a career in fashion, I say start at the bottom. If you want to start a business, you have to know it from the ground up.

I just can't see myself as a trophy wife. I can't imagine not having my own life.

I have Vie Luxe candles in every room. In 2006 I spent the month of August in Sardinia, and the scent reminds me of the wonderful time we had.