Sarah Burton: Interview, March '12

Sarah Burton has recalled the most memorable words of wisdom her mentor and friend Lee McQueen gave her. The esteemed designer - who showed her latest collection for the brand in Paris last night - is interviewed by long-time McQueen fan Sarah Jessica Parker for Interview magazine. "You were here for a long time, and so you can feel some confidence," said Parker. "I would guess that he would say, 'Sarah, trust your instincts.'" "He would," replied Burton. "Lee taught me that if you don't believe in it, then you shouldn't do it because you can't stand behind it. He was brilliant because he would always say, 'Things don't stand still. It has to go forward,' or 'Oh, don't bring that old jacket out again. That's been made before.' So I'm very conscious. I've got to move it because otherwise it stays still and it becomes stagnant." With over 18 months since she took the creative reins of McQueen and a royal wedding dress under her belt, Burton also offered a few tips to aspiring designers. "We have quite a lot of interns and young designers who come for training, and I really feel that it's important that they know how to patch and cut - that they know how to treat fabrics," she said. "What's always been great about [the McQueen studio] is that there's not just one person who does jersey, one person who does denim. Everybody does everything and everyone knows the whole world that we're working in. McQueen was so small, and Lee did everything: cut patterns, make clothes, everything. He was always so involved and hands-on. I was completely awed by what he was trying to achieve."