When did you get into fashion?
I got into clothes as a teenager from watching Dynasty. My parents were also the organisers of Live Aid so when they did Fashion Aid in 1985 [at the Royal Albert Hall] I remember seeing the Armani show and how beautiful it was, especially the long sequinned fishtail skirts. From that moment on I knew I wanted to do fashion. I gave up my place at Oxford and went to Central St Martins College of Art and Design, followed by a masters at the Royal College of Art.
Why did you start off designing menswear, and then move to womenswear?
At the time, there was no one doing anything interesting with menswear, apart from Gaultier. Menswear was so much more experimental and interesting. Then at the RCA I did a big project - the Karl Lagerfeld project - and Julien Macdonald and I won it together. The brief was to design for a woman who was going to Miami for the weekend, so I did a bulletproof suit, which they loved. Then I worked on womenswear at brands such as Kenzo, Thierry Mugler and John Galliano in Paris, followed by Tommy Hilfiger and Daryl K in New York.
Most people recognise you as creative director of New York label Diane Von Furstenberg. How did you end up working with her?
Diane called me when I was in New York after leaving Daryl and I didn't know who she was. I had this vision of her as an elderly princess. I interviewed with her and although I didn't understand the wrap dress thing, I liked her.