Quotes from Ines de La Fressange

People imagine I am always in a Bentley with pearls and diamonds and black glasses and Karl Lagerfeld next to me.

The secret of great style is to feel good in what you wear

If you don't feel comfortable in a plunging sweater, skin-tight jeans and killer heels, go home and change.

One thing Della Valle taught me is the power to say no if something isn't right. That mattered even over sales.

Life is never what it seems - and that's the great thing about it

I saw a lot of haute couture all my childhood, and without knowing it I've learned from when I was a child to recognise beautiful fabrics.

Often something more simple would be better. Sometimes I put things together - a shirt, a sweater, a jacket - and it's too complicated. I would have worn only a v-neck sweater, it would have been better. It's not the clothes but it's how you wear them sometimes.

I would love to live in India or in the South of France, but Roger Vivier doesn't have offices yet in New Delhi or Jaipur.

I had no luck when I started out as a model. I keep telling people that it's the only career in the world that you can't choose for yourself - you have to be chosen.

It is true that in France, women put on less things. If they have a necklace, they don't put on earrings; if they have nail polish, they don't put on all their rings and all their bracelets.

Matching shoes and bags immediately age you by 10 years.

Overall when you work in fashion, you're always in a rush. You're always a little late, always in a hurry. Every single moment's important, so you never have enough time to do what you want to do. It's ridiculous.

Buying a matching blouse and skirt from the same store is a crime. A clever mix of chic and cheap hits the jackpot. Know how to mix styles and labels.