KZ: In addition to the exhibition, you created some objects for Le Bon Marché. 

IA: There are a few objects that we’re selling. We did a mug, a tote bag, a scarf, my iconic handbag, some simple jewelry with heavy beads, and glasses. And my husband loved these great big black evening bow ties. They’re like butterfly ties and you can’t get them anymore, so we made those. What else did we make? A coffee table book. Some cards that are fun. They’re illustrations of what the windows are like. They’re amusing. But I didn’t invent penicillin or anything like that.

KZ: I’m curious about the story behind your signature glasses. 

IA: There’s no special story except that, even as a kid, I loved spectacle frames. I would go to markets and every time I saw an interesting pair, I’d buy the frames. Every once in a while I would take them out and try them on, and I thought they were great accessories. Sometimes I would take out the lenses and just wear the frames, and when I finally needed glasses, I took the biggest pair and had my lenses put in. Everybody would say to me, “Why are you wearing such large ones?” And I got bored with it, so to shut ’em up I said, “The bigger to see you with.”

KZ: And now big frames are the hottest things on the market. 

IA: They’re only about 50 years too slow.

KZ: You’re a diehard New Yorker. Which city do you think is the true fashion capital, New York or Paris?

IA: I don’t think there’s a fashion capital anymore.

KZ: Why not? And how do you think fashion’s changed since you first became interested in it?

IA: A lot of reasons. It’s not the same as it used to be. People are getting lazier and lazier and sloppier and sloppier. And nobody cares. I don’t think people have the same passion about doing anything. Young people don’t want to start at the bottom. Everybody wants the corner office or the red carpet immediately. And if you don’t start at the bottom with a craft or an art, you can’t get anywhere in life. I think a lot of these kids are media freaks or one-trick ponies. They go to a vintage store and buy something and change the buttons and voila.

KZ: Do you pay attention to what goes down the runways?

IA: Not very much anymore. I really don’t have the time. And it’s just not the same. When something goes down the runway now, everybody looks alike. And lately, they all look like they’re wearing nightgowns.

KZ: Earlier, you mentioned that you felt like no one cares about fashion and craftsmanship anymore. Why is it important to care about fashion?

IA: I think whatever you do, if you’re going to do it you should care about it. Otherwise, forget it. If something isn’t worth caring about, why bother? I think fashion is important. It can make a lot of people feel very happy. It’s a big industry—it provides a lot of jobs, so I think it should be encouraged. A lot of people want to look pretty, and a lot of people find shopping their favorite indoor sport. I just think it’s been approached in the wrong way.

KZ: You get interviewed a lot. What question do you get the most that drives you crazy?

IA: People want roadmaps for everything. Everybody wants to be told how to do everything. “How do you have style?” Come on. One of the prized questions recently came when a big magazine called me up and said, “You know, Kayne West is going to run for President.” I said, “Really? That’s news to me.” And I heard that the night before there was some sort of awards show and he was stoned or drunk or something and said he was going to run for President. So [the magazine] wanted to know how would I redecorate the White House to suit Kanye West. I think that’s the dumbest question I ever got. First of all, I was so shocked. I said, “I don’t take political questions.” But finally, I explained to her very patiently that if we should all be so unlucky, upstairs in his quarters he can do anything he damn well pleases. But the house downstairs is the people’s house and it has to look a certain way. When you’re doing a historic restoration, whether it’s good, bad, or indifferent, it has to be as close as humanly possible to the way it was originally.

KZ: It’s interesting that you say a historic restoration needs to be true to the essence of what it was originally. As someone who is very fashion savvy, what do you think about all these historic houses changing their designers and, as a result, their aesthetics?

IA: I don’t follow it. It’s all political and I don’t understand it. I thought Alber [Elbaz], who I love, was doing so well. And then, all of a sudden, I’m told he’s out and I don’t know if it’s his fault, their fault, whatever. I don’t know why they can’t leave well enough alone. I do understand, I suppose, that these big houses have to keep their numbers up. I don’t know how anybody can do that constantly. And they have to do so many collections. I think it’s maddening! I think the whole system is crazy. Why do they need eight collections a year?