I was stigmatized by being a bridal designer for a long time. I am amazed I have been able to move beyond it. I had really all but given up trying, but I did it because it was my lifelong dream.

Success isn't about the end result; it's about what you learn along the way.

A woman is never sexier than when she is comfortable in her clothes.

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.

Don't be afraid to take time to learn. It's good to work for other people. I worked for others for 20 years. They paid me to learn.

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

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

Even the most understated ceremony involves a certain respect for ritual and pageantry. No one plays more of a significant role than the bride's attendants.

When you have a passion for something then you tend not only to be better at it, but you work harder at it too.

Design is about point of view, and there should be some sort of woman or lifestyle or attitude in one's head as a designer.

Service is a prerequisite for anything relating to luxury. That makes it (shopping) sensual and pleasurable.

I love women whose hidden desires make horses put an end to their lives at the threshold

So difficult is it for us to know, with the dead as with the living, whether a thing would cause them joy or sorrow!

The building blocks that form the foundation of your great and successful future, are the actions you take today

Eating disorder recovery becomes possible when you keep making the next right decision over and over. With time, these decisions become automatic.

Money is only a vehicle that provides you with options, and I say there's only one thing that money can't buy - poverty.

I don't know what acting is, but I enjoy it.

I believe above the storm the smallest prayer will still be heard.

What astounds me about the history of the British Navy is how cheaply we have policed the world for 300 years.

I just want people to remember me like I remember Buster Keaton. When they talk about Buster Keaton or Gene Kelly, people say, 'Ah yes, they good.' Maybe one day, they remember Jackie Chan that way.

... new EU embassies lack the expertise in the field of culture and given the budget cuts in all Member States it is important to confront this challenge together.