What is the FT's stance on having a blog or online content?
It’s a slight obscure blog for the FT to do. Because most of our people who go to our blogs are going for Martin Wolf or another famous economics commentator. They are not expecting to find fashion, and most fashion people don’t necessarily go to the blogs. It’s getting a creeping audience.

What is the most challenging part of working for the FT and approaching fashion journalism?  
In the beginning, it was really convincing the newspaper that fashion belonged in the FT. It was not something that they had done regularly. But the size of the fashion industry has made it a natural subject for the FT. It now is about balancing everything.

Does the FT plan to push the blog more than they are currently?
It goes up and down. I think the biggest question is what other news is happening that day. We have a limited amount of space on the homepage for things to be promoted. When things like natural disasters and wars are going on, it's hard to argue your piece on the Dior-guy. Which I understand completely.

Cathy Horyn really thinks the world of you. What is your relationship with Cathy?
I would say a mutual respect. Maybe comrades-in-arms? {laughs}. People who go through fashion collection-wars. You know, you essentially spend a month sitting next to someone on very hard benches at all hours of the day and it is a very strange and specific world; it’s somewhat bonding.

“Lazy design hides behind expensive materials.” What are your thoughts on this statement?
I don’t think it hides behind expensive materials because in fact you can have very simple design and in expensive materials, like the Birkin, case-in-point. And in fact you have Jil Sander, another case-in-point or Céline, very minimal lines in very expensive fabrics, which is very hard to do. I think poor design often hides behind a lot of decoration, It does not have to be expensive. A lot of bells and whistles, sequins and beads. The more stuff you put on top of seam, the harder to tell if it’s any good. 

From a economic standpoint, what did you think of New York Fashion Week?
I thought it was pretty good. I actually thought last season was good. The designers seem slightly more relaxed about what they’re doing or more willing to go back to their own core-aesthetic. It’s my claim, usually that’s a good thing. Sometimes they’re worried they will seem boring, especially if they have been around for awhile, and they start “experimental things” and that often does not work so well. So I think it’s better when someone has a good idea once. It’s still a good idea.