Francisco Costa

“Each season I strive to design a forward-thinking and effortless collection with a very clean minimalist aesthetic.”

“When people ask me what it is about Brazil and my work, it's not something that I can say literally. It's unidentifiable. It's like when you do research and things inspire you. If you're smart enough, then obviously you don't take it literally. The inspiration will come out later somehow.”

“Milan, for me, is a city of discovery. You can find some amazing gardens behind some great houses; I also love finding beautiful galleries and incredible shops, but you have to explore. And the food is amazing.”

“I don't love reading so much, but I love book shopping.”

“I have no tolerance for boredom. I spend so many hours in the office, and I still love it.”

“I drape a lot. I cut. I have to touch. For me, it's almost impossible to start without that.”

“When I say art influences me, which it does, it's not at all in a literal form. You go and see exhibitions or collections or meet an artist. It's all a compilation. Every moment, at all times, all this information. Then all this information disappears, and it shows up later in the process.”

“I love to garden and cook whenever I get the chance and escape anywhere that's peaceful and quiet. My philosophy on living well is to always stay positive in life.”

“My mother was very fashion-oriented, and she started a little children's wear business that became large in this little town. She used to be able to look at a picture of an outfit and just start cutting the fabric right there.”

“I never liked sleeping; I always think I am missing something.”

“When a sketch comes into this three-dimensional form and everybody contributes, it's really fantastic.”

“I hope the average woman feels she needs practicality but with a little bit of fantasy. Otherwise, it's just not fashion.”

“I wonder if I would have been less organic of a designer without my background. Maybe I would be more academic about designing, more methodical. I want things to be a certain way, and I'm very precise, but school itself wasn't that relevant for me.”

“I think the women that we dress, the women who buy our clothes, they have a certain strength. It could be about the clothes, it could be about themselves. It's just attractive.”

“I came to New York in 1986. My father didn't think it was a good idea. I didn't know how I found it, but I went to Hunter College. I had no money and I couldn't speak English.”

“I'm not an artist. I'm a fashion designer of clothes.”

“I wanted to be involved with fashion, though I didn't know what being a designer meant.”

“I'm inspired by many things, from landscapes to textiles. Art and architecture always influence my design process.”

“My mom, she was unbelievable. She ran the whole town. She was like the mayor. There would be 15 people eating at our lunch table. She'd drag people from the street.”

“I get so much inspiration from my travels, but I also started an exercise where I write down so many words every week. Then I begin crossing them off. We create a grid of words and also images, but words for me are more ample because you can interpret them your own way.”