‘A Reflection of People’

Who are your favorite designers?

There are so many. In the past, Yves Saint Laurent was my favorite, when I was growing up. At this point, there’s just so many people who are talented: [John] Galliano, there’s a lot of people.

And the young talent?

Francisco Costa is very good. I think the designer Nathan Jenden, who works with me, is very good.

Now for the “serious” question: Why does fashion matter in such a troubled world?

Fashion is a very mysterious thing, and it is very much a reflection of people. We are living in such a troubled world that fashion seems completely irrelevant. Yet, it’s a huge industry. It provides jobs to a lot of people, and it makes people happy.