An important lesson: Things that look like an overnight success usually aren't.

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

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.

When I think about fashion I think women will never lose that appetite for fashion.

I like being behind the scene.

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

I just love the energy of going into different areas of New York.