I came here when I was 20. I came to go to school, but I ended up working for Halston as an assistant. That happened in a very strange way. My father had a meeting with Halston. And my father said to me, 'Join me. I want you to meet this amazing American designer.' And I happened to just tag along, and Halston offered me a job.

My parents noticed my love for clothes and encouraged me to study design abroad. I decided to join the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York but never ended up there.

I love designing bridal. I do not follow trends - I design dresses that are relevant to the times.

Every designer needs a story. Mine is all about glamour because my family has been in the business of glamour for three generations. My grandfather Shamshuddin Khan started his embroidery and fabric-making business in the 1930s.

Everything becomes magnified at night. Sounds travel in a different way, it's dark, and everything seems far more spooky.

Because I travel so much, my biggest pet peeve is dealing with travelers - the travelers who can't figure things out. My pet peeve is people who just have no idea how to travel.

It makes me feel wonderful that people still care for me... that I have so many fans among young people, who write to me and tell me I have been an inspiration.

Being from Miami, you're used to the fact that your home is a vacation spot. But that's what makes Miami one of the best places in the world. We're so rich in different cultures, being so close to Haiti, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, and then you've got people who travel from all over the world just to come visit.