How do you select those products? What are the key criteria for choosing something you think might become a bestseller?

There are many times that I might look at something and I know that it’s going to be a really good seller but it wouldn’t be for us and our market and our customer. You can spot trends from the way people are living their lives and there’s a much bigger picture which I find very interesting but when I drill it down to looking at a designer’s collection there are so many things that could make it work.

You could really think this person is such a talented designer and they really know how to talk about their product, they look great and could talk to the press, they have their price points right and then it doesn’t sell. Then you might have someone who isn’t very eloquent about what they’re designing but then the product is so good the customer buys it and that’s that.

Our customer is really astute and fashion savvy so they do want newness and integrity. I’d only ever bring them what I think is the best design with the best quality and that’s really, really important to me. There is a very high bar that we’ve set as a company that you have to reach. It’s also about trying to spot talent and working with the talent to make the product work at retail.

Over the past few months we’ve seen Raf Simons step down at Dior and Alber Elbaz leave Lanvin. Hedi Slimane is reportedly parting ways with Saint Laurent. What do you think of the current state of fashion? If the biggest designers can’t keep up with the pace what hope is there for inexperienced, emergent talent?

I think things will probably have to change. Having so many collections a year: men’s, couture, pre-fall, swimwear… There’s far too much. I just saw the Pre-Fall Gucci and it was just a continuation. This is the DNA, this is what the brand is. It’s not a radical change each season, it’s fluid but when a customer loves that DNA they can just keep coming back. I think that will become more important rather than each season there being a new handbag or new shoe. I just don’t think that’s sustainable and actually some businesses have been built on one great show or bag anyway.