I've never said I'm a fashion designer.

I love the history of the sport, I love the culture that surrounds it, and I never dreamed I'd become a fanatic. I'm such a fanatic now that I'm committed to competing.

I would say this to my students all the time, it's about 30% you as the teacher and 70% about them. They tend to think that their role is to be the baby bird in a nest and you're going to feed them? They're going to feed themselves, or they're going to starve.

People believe that if you're concerned about the clothes you're wearing and the larger aspects of your appearance, that it's anti-intellectual. I say "Hogwash!" The clothes we wear send a message about how the world perceives us.

I had this wonderful career and thought I would retire as a teacher.

Success needs to be measured according to the ambitions and the resources of each designer. And many aren't interested in being a megabrand.

I'm one of the biggest introverts you could ever meet.