One Minute With … Monique Lhuillier

Monique Lhuillier: Yes! They say if you don’t freak out at least a little bit that means you no longer have passion for what you’re doing, so I take it as a good thing.

tFS: Do you still pull all-nighters leading up to your shows?

ML: You know for the first time I thought I would actually get a good night sleep last night. We finished our last fittings and everything went great, but then I started thinking about the show and how we have a presentation tableau for the first time this season and how there’s choreography — this season is very different for us and then, of course, I started to stress.

tFS: Any tips for dealing with that stress and lack of sleep?

ML: Drink lots of water, especially with this weather. I also always try to get in a good workout and keep a positive attitude.

tFS: What’s your go-to workout?

ML: I love to run outdoors, but since it’s pretty much frozen outside that’s not exactly possible right now, so I had to settle for the gym and a treadmill.

tFS: Speaking of the freezing weather, do you factor that in when designing your fall collection? 

ML: Yes, this season I kept the designs close to body, there are a number of looks with long sleeves and I made a point of staying away from ballooning ballgowns. It was important for me to remove the volume and keep the collection fluid and linear. 

tFS: It’s not easy dressing for this weather…

ML: It isn’t, but a good tip is to focus on the little things when you’re wearing lots of layers. For example, this season our makeup, nails and clutches are very dramatic. You can easily take your look to the next level by adding drama with these little touches.

tFS: You’ve dressed so many celebrities at this point, anyone you haven’t yet that you’d love to?

ML: That’s tough! I’d say Charlize Theron. I’ve never had the pleasure of working with her and would love to.

Check out the full Monique Lhuillier Fall 2015 collection below.

Images: Imaxtree