My company is an extension of me, so when I designed my stores I wanted people to feel that they were in my home.

Each job I had wasn't necessarily the perfect job, but I always talk to young women about how you really have to take certain things from each job and learn from that and then move on to something you really want to do.

The easy glamour of the French Riviera in the late 1960s - inspired by Romy Schneider's character in La Piscine - mixed with garden elements. Blueprint, botanical, lattice, Queen Anne's lace and folly prints are paired with cleaner silhouettes and proportions in a fresh palette of green, white and coral.

It's very passe to think women want to spend a fortune on clothes.

I think women have a lack of confidence. They often apologize; I was guilty of that too. When people have said, "Oh, look at your success," I would downplay it.

The inspiration starts with the armor my parents collected. The references are subtle, whether in the mix of textures (woven, quilted, pleated) or in the tapestry brocades and florals. The focus is on clean, strong silhouettes with bold embellishments. Accessories reflect the mood - belts with chain details, lace-up ghillie heels and muffs.

I grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania, where my parents raised German shepherds - we had about 30 dogs at any given time.