I think fashion is intensely personal. It should be. It should give a woman a creative outlet, it should give her a little bit of an escape, and it should give her a little bit of individuality that she can add to her life. I don't mean redoing your entire closet. I mean that a great shoe or a great handbag or a great top or a great coat or jacket can change everything.

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Fashion offers no greater challenge than finding what works for night without looking like you are wearing a costume.

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I was struggling to find a way to make evening clothes more deconstructed. I like to think that I translated the Latin concept in a more modern way. I don't think that I was that literal.

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I love a black wedding dress.

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When I design a wedding dress with a bustle, it has to be one the bride can dance in. I love the idea that something is practical and still looks great.

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I want people to see the dress, but focus on the woman.

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The key is falling in love with something, anything. If your heart's attached to it, then your mind will be attached to it.

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I never thought I'd be successful. It seems in my own mind that in everything I've undertaken I've never quite made the mark. But I've always been able to put disappointments aside. Success isn't about the end result; it's about what you learn along the way.

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My normal routine is pretty much putting out fires all day.

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It's hard to balance everything. It's always challenging.

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