Stella McCartney

“It's not realistic to live in the country at this stage. I've got a business in London. I beat myself up about it all the time.”

“I'm a woman designing for women, and there are so many layers to that. On the one hand, it brings an effortlessness, but it also means that I think and overthink every detail, whether it's physical or mental or even - in some sense - spiritual.”

“When you find the person that you settle down with, I guess you mellow. They are taming you, aren't they? Or you're taming them.”

“I've had people say to me, 'You'll never sell handbags. You don't work with leather, and leather is luxury.' To me, it's the complete opposite: leather is everywhere - it's so cheap a material; it's so mass produced. Over 50 million animals a year are killed just for fashion. For me, it doesn't have a luxury element to it.”

“I am a fashion designer. I'm not an environmentalist. When I get up in the morning, number one I'm a mother and a wife, and number two I design clothes. So the main thing I need to do is create, hopefully, exquisitely beautiful, desirable objects for my customer.”

“Depending on the season, between 20 and 30 percent of my collections contain some sort of eco or sustainable element, whether it's a beautiful organic fabric or a natural dye. And obviously I don't use animal skins or fur of any kind.”

“My mum had a massive influence on me, not just in what she wore and how she looked, but in her spirit. She was married to one of the most famous men in the world, and she didn't wear any makeup, ever. I mean, have you ever seen the wife of a man like that rock up with no makeup on? Because I haven't since.”

“The majority of fragrances are designed by people who have no idea what the house does. But for me, it had to be honest. That's where it becomes personal.”

“When I first started, it was a dirty word to say you made clothes for people to wear... I was a little ashamed of it. You didn't always feel you were this amazing creative force.”

“My job is to make desirable, luxurious, beautiful clothing and accessories women want to buy. My first decision is always based on, 'Can I do this in a more sustainable way without sacrificing design?' If I can, then there is no reason not to.”

“I think my differences were, and my differences still are, that I don't really approach fashion in a fashiony way.”

“It's more expensive for me to make my shoes. I don't use animal-based glues or fish-based glues. So that costs me more. And, you know, like anything in life - mass marketing of anything - mass manufacturing of anything costs less.”

“What you wear in the evening is important for women because it's so personal, and it's so complicated to get it right. I like trousers for evening, especially when they have that width and attitude to them.”

“I like doing slightly masculine, Savile Row tailoring. A nice jacket. Wearable - it's almost a dirty word in fashion, wearable, but that's what I do.”

“Sometimes I wish I were less sensible.”

“What I really want, what I always really want, is baked potato and grilled cheese. But then I'd be really fat.”

“I used to get embarrassed about the fact I liked fashion. I still get a bit cringy.”

“You have to be hopeful that people will be more educated in how they buy things, and hopefully more luxury brands will start to think that way on a longer-term basis.”

“We've all got to come together, and we've got to protect what's left of our ancient forests on this planet.”

“I was brought up to understand that we are all here on planet earth together.”