I'm like a conductor. I come up with ideas, and I get all these people to make great music together. I have a team of really talented assistant designers. I have architects in my office. People I trained from the beginning in menswear, womenswear, and home. I have a great team who know what I want and feel and translate that into beautiful results.
— John Rocha
I turned my hand to costume design a few years ago when I created the outfits for 'This Is the Sea,' with Richard Harris and Samantha Morton. It's a very different discipline to being a fashion designer, though - you have to rein in your own vision and work to a tight brief.
Just because something is trendy doesn't mean it will suit you.
Your 30s is the time to embrace bold, zingy colour patterns and to follow trends while taking time to get used to what really suits you.
I always challenge myself to do something better, and people in the industry appreciate that.
It is hard to have a fashion business in any country, but even more difficult in Ireland.
My life is about family and friends as well as work.
Dubai is a vibrant city: Big cars, big buildings... it reminds me of my home town, Hong Kong. People are always on the move here, and there's a lot going on. There are some wonderful architecture and some not-so-wonderful.
Guys want to be cool without appearing to be bothered about trends.
As you get older, your skin tone will change, and that means the colours that suit you best change, too. Take a trip to a department store and ask for advice, or simply hold colours close to your face in the mirror, as this should give you a good idea of what works.
Beautiful fabrics last; synthetics don't. Certain fabrics, such as linen or cotton, develop their own character over time.
Fashion is instant - after six months, it disappears, and you have to start again. That's the nature of it.
I made my final collection in college in London using Irish handwoven wool. That is how I discovered Ireland first; I just fell in love with it, really.
My homes are similar in style because the same design principles run through all areas of my work.
As I get older and older, people like my work more and more.
I have no idea why, but I find that men make more of an impact on me in films than women - even very beautiful ones.
Many women in their 40s make the mistake of wearing clothes that are too tight. Skimpy dresses and tight trousers can make you look older, so get the best fit you can find.
Fabric is the foundation of a collection.
As a heterosexual designer, it is really, really important to have a woman's point of view.
Fashion is like a four-legged table: you need a good designer, a very good business manager, a good manufacturer, and a very good distributor. Without all the legs, table collapses.
I love white walls because white reflects the light and is a great backdrop for art.
