Jason Wu

“My Chinese zodiac is a dog. But I'm an exception because of how much I love cats.”

“I worked 10 years as a toy designer before I started my career as a fashion designer. It's something I just fell into and really liked.”

“There's something to be said about a girl who knows what she wants. One of my favorite girls to dress is Diane Kruger. It's always so easy with her. I know her body and what works. When it's right, it's not a lot of effort.”

“I have been wanting to do beauty for years and to pair with an international beauty company. It will solidify the image of Jason Wu as a world. All my shows have a distinctive hair and makeup look. It feels so natural for me; the woman who wears my clothes would have my makeup as part of her beauty regime.”

“I made a rule not to be on reality shows.”

“I make very proper clothes. But I was never that person. For a long time, I thought that was the image I needed to have for my brand. And I thought that's the person that I needed to be. Because it gave me a distinct image that no one can deny.”

“I hope I am the antithesis of disposable fashion.”

“Being feminine in the way you dress doesn't have to compromise who you are as a woman or your career.”

“I've always loved the rustic, slightly worn style of Canvas and that element of an artisanal hand. It's so inherently chic.”

“It's quite a pure relationship, designer and muse. I think a beautiful dress on the wrong woman could mean nothing. It has to be the right woman and the right clothes. That's why you need that personal touch.”

“I dress some of the most successful women in the world, and meeting these women rubs off on you. A few years ago, the woman was someone I imagined in my head. Now they're real. It's important my work evolve along with me and that I show more facets of myself.”

“A lot of my peers don't think about collaborating the way I do. My approach is to imagine my world. The Jason Wu woman isn't just floating around in a beautiful dress. I like to know where she's going, what she likes. I'm not just in the fashion business. I'm in the lifestyle business.”

“I'm an American designer. It's important to riff on that. I remember, when my mom and I first came to the States, she was so shocked that everyone was so dressed down in sandals and shorts. It's not quite like that in Asia. To give that a superluxurious makeover? For me to make street wear? It's sort of chic to do it.”

“I happen to like selling clothes as much as creating them. It isn't relevant unless it sells.”

“I call white the most powerful non-color; it's clean, optimistic, powerful.”

“I am an Asian designer. I was born in Taiwan. That is who I am. But I am a designer, like any designer of any race. Growing up in the '80s in Taiwan, the arts were not considered a career.”

“The Taiwanese are big on tea. I think it's nice to slow down a bit. It's very much a custom.”