Designer

I have an art-school background, not a fashion background where it's like, 'Oh, we're going on holiday to Miami.'

If you've invested money in buying a piece, you don't want it to just disintegrate. We all have that first wash anxiety, when that great t-shirt you've just bought shrinks away to nothing.

I've always liked historic jewellery that's got a kind of quirkiness or playfulness to it; I like that it's not too serious.

Some things can be quite stupid yet interesting. Life can be like that.

It can be refugees, it can be a pregnant mother, it can be a 15-year-old... homelessness can happen to everybody.

'Irony' is such an over-used word.

Anyone looking for a black cashmere sweater isn't going to come to me.

One day I'll do a Dorian Gray, and there will be a picture in the attic. I'll look like Helen Daniels from 'Neighbours' after her stroke.

With all my clients I work with, they all have their absolute specialness about them.

With couture, the great thing is that each piece has its own character, and you have space to explore and continue themes season after season.

I liked natural history. I liked the outdoors. And I found the sea quite interesting.

I love London. Wherever I've lived, I've always had my flat here.

Clothes that a wallflower would like, that's not my thing. I like people who look interesting.

The natural world is a source of inspiration.

People are often a bit more adventurous with swimming costume prints; they like the idea of something a bit more jolly.

Let's be honest: not everybody can afford to buy ?5,000 dresses, so the jewellery is a nice of way of getting the Giles product out into the world and introduce it to people not familiar with the label. QVC is a really good partner to help us do that.

I don't really have a mentor.

I do like designing clothes that are - not exactly lofty but intellectual in their sexiness.

The customer who likes to be noticed is important to us.