Ann Demeulemeester

For me, Gothic is something from my youth, when I had a heavy metal phase.

I feel more European than Belgian. However I do think that my Flemish roots have an impact on my character and culture.

I became a fashion designer by accident. I loved to make portrait drawings when I was a teenager, and from that came the interest in what people were wearing and why they were wearing it.

Jewelry is something that has to do with emotion. That aspect of jewelry really interests me.

I can make 10 jackets of the same colour, same two pockets and same length, that will look like 10 completely different jackets when you put them on. It's about the way they are cut - it makes them look and feel completely different and move differently, and that's a never-ending study. People who wear my clothes will know exactly what I mean.

It's too easy to say that orange is happy and black is sad. To me, black is perfect. You can fill it with the emotion you want to express.

As a young girl, I dreamed of having a voice in fashion.

I always followed my own path.

Creating is a lonely thing in a lot of ways.

Good fashion is like rock music: all anarchy and revolt.

I had to find my own language in jewelry. That was important to me; it really had to be what I would love to have myself.

The future is open, and I never make plans. As long as it's interesting to me, I try to live my life to the fullest.