French, English, even American vintage styles. So it's no surprise I have always enjoyed combing through flea markets in small towns and finding rare antique gems to steal some inspiration. I 'm also obsessed with detail, so when I find a Victorian gown or a 50s bridal slip that I like, then it's important for me to be able to emulate the exact stitching, embroidery or beading used at the time. In the West, unfortunately, most of our expert hand-stitching traditions have been lost -- the skills have not been passed on and the seamstress geniuses from the couture houses of Europe have not been replaced. That is why I 'm often traveling to India. It's one of the very best places in the world to find that expertise still thriving. From one village to the next you find whole families, generations, that have their own specialties of stitch work. Honestly, I can give them any old historical piece that I 've found and they will either take it away and recreate it almost perfectly, or they 'll say hmmm... I do n't know this stitching, but I know a place nearby that does. It's a fashion designer's dream ! So in one sense, I 've been fusing my clothes with Indian influences for a while. However, I think this was the first time I 've traveled to India with a conscious intention to create a fusion of styles: their own traditional dress with my more modern, western creations. I just love