JH: Some of your most famous looks are in this feature and one was the SS13 bejewelled mask. How did that come about?
PT: Well the collection came about because I met a model called Grace Bol in Paris. I was just like “Who are you?! ” So she says, “I’m Grace,” and I gulped and thought, “Oh, not another one.” But I was so inspired by her; I wanted to make a show about her and other African girls like her. In the meantime I was making hats but couldn’t find clothes. Then a friend of mine offered me Michael Jacksons’ wardrobe that they were auctioning in LA, and I thought, “Yes, I’d love that.” To me, they both represent black excellence, so it all worked. As for the jewelled mask, for me it was like incognito but for superstars – I loved that.

JH: It’s also impossible not to mention [Alexander McQueen’s SS08 collection] La Dame Bleue – how did you both go about creating a tribute to one of your best friends?
PT: Alexander actually called me to say he’d seen a clairvoyant and made contact with Isabella, who had said she wanted to be known as La Dame Bleue, so that’s where the name came from. It’s fascinating because she said a few other things that indicated it was definitely her. It was all his process and his idea, but initially he was going to approach it differently – and then he decided to just do what he wanted rather than try to create ‘Isabella Blow’ looks, because that’s what she always wanted anyway. They adored each other, although everyone would like to tell you otherwise.

JH: Do you try to stay away from that kind of ‘tell-all’ press coverage of your friends?
PT: I haven’t read those books, to be honest with you. People keep sending them to me, but they keep disappearing. It’s like somebody doesn’t want me to read the… Oh, actually it’s behind me. It’s strange when you’ve lived it and know these people – Alexander and Isabella have become like the Marilyn Monroe and Elvis of fashion, these tragic people. But there’s nothing tragic about them. They were tough. Of course they were sweet and vulnerable too, but they were the least tragic people I’ve ever met. What happened to them was, but really they were the opposite of that. It’s weird though, isn’t it? I did an interview with a journalist from a very established newspaper a few years ago, and the question that threw me was: how does it feel to be the odd one out? It was a reference to me not committing suicide… So there you go. That’s just how journalism is.

JH: That’s so disrespectful… do those questions tend to come from journalists who maybe don’t work exclusively in the fashion industry, who might write fashion off as superficial?
PT: The fashion-haters? Yes. There are superficial people in fashion, of course, but it’s a very hard-working industry that keeps a lot of people going. Fashion is more calculated now, because to succeed you have to either be rich or have backing. It’s very expensive to do this, so the industry can become elitist, but there will always be designers who come along and change that.

Gosha Rubchinskiy Sweatshirt: £100

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