In the mood of Vanessa Bruno: 'Terry towel tracksuits are vulgar'

In the mood of Vanessa Bruno : "Coco Chanel has always inspired me"
Vanessa Bruno

To celebrate Paris Fashion Week (February 28-March 7), Relaxnews presents a new feature, "In the mood of..." quizzing designers on their style secrets and sources of inspiration. Ahead of her March 5 presentation, we enter into the world of Parisian designer Vanessa Bruno, who launched her own clothing line in 1996 and counts Nicole Kidman and Charlotte Gainsbourg among fans.

Relaxnews: What in your opinion is the most essential accessory and why?
Vanessa Bruno: In my opinion, shoes are an essential part of a woman's look. They complete an outfit. For example, if you wear very simple clothes but you have the perfect shoes, you are still stylish.

R: Which item of clothing would you never allow into your wardrobe?
VB: A terry towel tracksuit! For me they are terrible, even a little vulgar!

R: Which famous person, dead, alive or from fiction, would you most like to feature on your runway?
VB: On my runway, I can perfectly envisage icons of the 1960s and 70s like Talitha Getty, Bianca Jagger or Jane Birkin. They represent femininity, they are free, and they have an incredible elegance that I really love and that inspires my designs.

R: What career path would you have followed if you hadn't become a designer?
VB: I would like to make movies. I like to create stories, to tell stories that I have in mind. Besides, for five seasons I have been creating my own movies to talk about my collections.

R: Which song do you most associate with your Fall/Winter 2012 collection?
VB: The song that I can associate with my Fall/Winter collection is "Sat in Your lap", a Kate Bush song. Listen to it at http://youtu.be/-4csr6pLZLg.

R: Cast your mind back... what did you feel the very first time you set foot in Paris?
VB: As a Parisian, I always had the feeling that Paris was the center of the world. It fuelled my inspirations in fashion but also in culture and music. The possibilities that this city give you are endless, and have allowed me to become who I am today. Paris is a city where anything can happen.