I've Always Worked. I Have Always Been

Retailing Has Become Fiercely Competitive. Today There Are Many Large Global Fashion Companies Who Have Opened Up Mono-brand Stores In Major Cities Around The World. When I First Opened My Boutique In New York, In 1985, There Were Almost No Other European Luxury Brands Present With Their Own Stores. Now Fifth Avenue Is Packed With Huge Stores From Major Italian And French Labels.

Clean Lines Have Always Been Important To Me, Both In Terms Of Interiors As Well As Fashion. For Interiors, I Am More Interested In Textures And Surface Treatments Than Bold Color Or Print - The Vein On A Wood Or The Shine On A Lacquer, For Example. I Know Immediately When Something Isn't Working - Usually It's A Question Of Consistency - And I Make Instantaneous Decisions On How To Remedy The Situation.

There Is A Danger In Becoming An Icon, As People Can See You As Remote And Untouchable, And They Are Less Willing To Tolerate You Doing Things That Don't Fit With Their Preconceived Idea Of You. Iconic Status Can Be Like A Pair Of Handcuffs, Especially If, Like Me, You Wish To Continually Stretch Yourself Creatively, As Warhol Did.

Today, People No Longer Go Out With A Total Look Or Ensemble Taken Straight From The Runway. Customers Mix And Match Between Labels And Between Price Points. The Idea Is To Create Something For Yourself: What You Want, And How You Want It. I Realize That Shoppers Want More Flexibility And Choice Now.

Jeans Represent Democracy In Fashion.