“With couture, you're going right to the consumer, and that's something we learned from doing trunk shows. You're meeting the client; you're finding out what they like and what they don't like. You've really got your customer there in front of you, so you know what works and what doesn't.”

British fashion designer, illustrator and creative director

Giles Deacon is a British fashion designer, illustrator, and creative director. He founded the Giles Deacon group and his label GILES in 2003, and is known for a sharp, unconventional approach to womenswear. Before striking out on his own, he worked for Bottega Veneta and Gucci. He showed his first GILES collection at London Fashion Week in 2004, later joined Paris Fashion Week in 2016, and gained attention for designs that use bold prints and pop culture references. His work has received critical acclaim, helped renew interest in London fashion, and brought him honors including Best New Designer at the British Fashion Awards, British Fashion Designer of the Year in 2006, and the ANDAM Fashion Award Grand Prix in 2009.