I was born during the war and grew up in a time of rationing. We didn't have anything. It's influenced the way I look at the world.

Even though it was the 70s, we found old stocks of clothes that had never been worn from the 50s and took them apart. I started to teach myself how to make clothes from that kind of formula.

It is all about technique. The great mistake of this century is to put inspiration and creativity first.

Fashion is very important. It is life-enhancing and, like everything that gives pleasure, it is worth doing well.

Being part of a community with a church at its centre and singin' hymns is a great thing to do.

I am always trying to find fabrics that are more friendly to the environment - working with Virgin Atlantic, they managed to research into this and find more eco fabrics.

Well, I'm very much a literary person. And my fashion always tells a story somehow. I never look at fashion magazines. I find them incredibly boring. To me, reading a fashion magazine is the last thing I need to do. I've got books I need to read.