Francois Nars

We love those under-eye circles. It's real life.

I've always loved the way movie stars in the Forties looked when they were off set. Shot poolside or at their home, they always wore a matte red lipstick with practically no foundation - it was how they wore makeup in real life.

Looking at flowers, simple things in life. I don't need to look at gold and a castle; sometimes its very simple things that are very beautiful. I am keeping my eyes fresh to find beauty in many places, and in gold, too, sometimes!

I don't think there's a major change between runway and real life anymore.

My mother hated foundation; she hated having a mask on her face - and she pushed me to build my own vision and concept of beauty for women.

I always had a vision about beauty in general, so probably that's what really drove me into that direction of creating a makeup brand.

My vision was to create makeup that was more transparent but with formulas that last. I follow my instincts - it's all very spontaneous!

It really has stayed practically the same. It wasn't like I used to do wild punk make-up: no, I always had the same vision.

I chose makeup over photography because there was something very sensual about makeup that I loved. But photography was always in the back of my mind. That was always something that I was very connected with: looking at magazines, enjoying photography, and then taking pictures myself when I was a kid.

Makeup is very important for a show. It's really an accessory on the runway. You have to be sure that it fits the clothes.

You create the color first, and then the name that fits. It depends - there are no rules. You watch a fabulous old movie, and you suddenly get inspired by it to create a lipstick shade, or you walk through a gorgeous garden and find the most beautiful flower shade for an eye shadow, and then you name it.

I never stop thinking about names of products. It's a process that happens 24 hours a day.