American women often fall into the trap of, 'Oh, these are my weekend clothes. These are my work clothes. This is what I wear at night.' It's so old-fashioned.

I wear the same thing every day. I always pack two black jackets, loads of black T-shirts, loads of white jeans. I feel a little fresh and glamorous and graphic.

My legacy would be that you don't have to give up anything. You can be chic but have a sense of humor, you can be sexy but comfortable, you can be timeless but fresh.

The biggest lesson that I've learned is that fashion is this tightrope where you have to be consistent but inconsistent. You need the connective thread but at the same time you need a sense of surprise.

There are two kinds of designers: ones who are very happy locked in their office surrounded by their coterie. The last thing they need to do is to go to a trunk show; they'd go running for the hills. I not only enjoy it, I think, how do you design things that are applicable to life - unless you live it?

There's a whole generation of women who never really heard the word investment before, when it came to fashion. They've been buying things because they were cheap.

When you try on something, you have to ask yourself, 'How many ways could I wear this? Could I wear it to work? To dinner or drinks? Will it span the seasons' If you have to think too hard about those questions, then skip it.

Because of what's going on with the economy, I think women are realizing that maybe they don't need a closet full of clothes. They just need the right clothes.

North Americans as a whole need to embrace having clothes altered to their body. I hear it all the time: why do the Europeans always look so good? They have a relationship with their tailor and spend the time and money to make their clothes look their best.

Clothes are like a good meal, a good movie, great pieces of music.

When I was a kid, I was trendier. I'd wear anything. I was in love beads and platforms.

I think the older I get, the more I realize that the ultimate luxury is time.

I grew up surrounded by these tough, ballsy, strong women. They were also adoring women, but they were the kind of women who would argue over what kind of pants you were wearing or the color of your nail polish.

A man in a well tailored suit will always shine brighter than a guy in an off-the-rack suit.

Americans are always a little bit insecure.

For me, true luxury can be caviar or a day with no meetings, no appointments and no schedule.

Give me Caviar Kaspia and give me a hamburger. I love the two extremes.

I am the oldest young designer in New York City.

I can sketch up a storm, and I'm very involved in how clothes are constructed, but I have a short attention span.

I can't dance and I can't sing too well.