I don't like the masculine style, jeans. I like issey miyake... and black dresses.

When I was growing up in Iraq, there was an unbroken belief in progress and a great sense of optimism. It was a moment of nation building.

The world is looking more and more segmented, the difference between people is becoming greater.

Contrary to popular view, I've never been patronized in the Middle East. Men maybe treat women differently, but they do not treat them with disrespect. They don't hate women. It's a very different kind of mentality.

You really have to have a goal.

I am equally proud of all of my architectural projects. It's always rewarding to see an ambitious design become reality.

Of course there is a lot of fluidity now between art, architecture and fashion - a lot more cross-pollination in the disciplines, but this isn't about competition, it's about collaboration and what these practices and processes can contribute to one another.