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Designers, they’re just like us! Well, sometimes. Below, our ten favorite quotes, offered Mad Libs fill-in-the-blank-style, ranging from the sweet and inspirational to the witty and off-the-cuff, the personal and the professional, all culled from the CFDA’s latest book, The Pursuit of Style: Advice Musings From America’s Top Fashion Designers. Inspiration never looked so chic.
1. “I feel most myself: when I’m wearing nothing.” —Waris Ahluwalia
2. “My favorite place to shop is: any Duane Reade.” —Michael Bastian
3. “I define success as: let you know when we get there.” —Maxwell Osborne
4. “My favorite fabric to wear/work with is: gray flannel. I think the only thing I wouldn’t like in gray flannel is a bathing suit—and honestly it would look so chic, but be so silly.” —Jenna Lyons
5. “The most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me: Getting a tattoo of my name one week after meeting me (he’s my husband now).” —Pamela Love
6. “My most memorable date was: my first date with Ricky. We went to a pancake house in the Bronx and she recited Chaucer.” —Ralph Lauren
7. “I can’t get through the day without: Twizzlers and coffee, not together; talking to my wife.” —Reed Krakoff
8. “The quality I value most in a friendship is: effort. It takes a lot to consistently talk, listen, and stay connected.” —Francisco Costa
9. “My greatest indulgence is: irrationality.”—Olivier Theyskens
10. “To me, style is: a God-given gift.” —David Neville