I like finding things in locations where I've worked and things from down South and things from flea markets or even the sidewalks.
Everything I commission - whether it is for me or for a client's home or for a hotel or office - is absolutely unique to that job. I have everything made, or I find vintage and antique pieces at markets and auctions.
As much as I love to shop online, I also love walking the streets on a beautiful day and seeing what finds I can discover in a small shop or vintage store.
My flat is a bit like an oriental bazaar. It's filled with the oddest objects from all my travels, and you can't really move in it. I love collecting antiques and often spend weekends driving around bric-a-brac markets.
I search for items that have history, like vintage finds - I love fur kitten-heel house slippers from the 1950s - and pieces from fashion houses that have been around for a long time, like Chanel and Dior.
If I'm going to try and find something, I stick to the flea markets, or I pull hand-me-downs from my family because I like pieces to have stories.
I'm pretty much a thrift shop gal. Flea markets on Sundays.
If you're at an antiques fair, and have been unable to beat the dealer down earlier in the day, pay a return visit at the end. They may be more inclined to accept your offer, rather than having to pack the piece up and take it home.
I like vintage stores - all over the world. I have a little collection of my favorite stores here and there. Other than that, I love online shopping.
I remember going with my mom to a random garage sale as a kid and thinking what a cool treasure hunt that whole world was. Only to transition as an adult to think, 'What a gross place that really is.'
It's my job to know what's available from every retailer, catalog, website, antiques mall, and craftsperson. A good designer or decorator has to have an almost encyclopedic knowledge.
The way I see it, the perfect weekend getaway combines three things: seeing new places, eating delicious local food, and combing the local flea market for unique, one-of-a-kind finds.
When I did my first price guide in 1979, publications weren't interested in mentioning it. Now I get phone calls weekly if not daily from publications and television shows who want to know what's hot, how to get started in antiques, and the best way to buy antiques.
When I lived in Paris, I would shop at antique shops and buy these huge coats because I was very cold. And then I started performing in them because I felt safe. I never stopped doing that.
I get highs, to be totally honest, in second-hand shops. My hunting instinct, I expect, really kicks in.
I think when you get interested in antiques, the most frustrating thing is that books don't have enough photos. When you go to a flea market or garage sale, you see lots of things you've never seen before and you have no idea what the price is going to be or should be.
Even if you have $20,000 to buy an item, you still try to get a good price at antique stores. I collect furniture, rugs, paintings, frames. It's my hobby to go around to shops and markets.
Whether you're going to a museum or a flea market or flipping through a book, always be on the lookout for something special.
I never pass up the chance to shop at vintage stores.
But we used to go to flea markets and things, and look for old 78 records that had silly song titles.
If you're a man and you've ever been antique shopping during a big football game, you're either gay or married.
There was a junk store in Nashville on 8th Avenue, where I bought Patsy Cline's train case for $75.
When you're visiting an antiques fair, turn left once you've passed through the entrance. Everyone else will turn right, which means you can get to the bargains before them.
When buying vintage, it's important to choose pieces that you feel like you've already owned for years.
I was selling bric-a-brac in Portobello and Camden Market. I love objects. But I was embarrassed by the idea of collecting, so I began using these things in my art.
