Montreal designer Andy Thê-Anh has a flair for the dramatic. Whether he’s reinventing the crisp white shirt — which he does every season — or covering a mocha poet blouse with hundreds of tiny tuxedo ruffles, his design DNA remains sophisticated yet sexy. “I love elegant clothes,” says Thê-Anh, “but I always challenge myself to translate that idea in many different ways.”

andy-the-anh-2.jpgWhose personal diary would you most like to steal?
“Meryl Streep’s, because I don’t know how she manages to stay out of that Hollywood frenzy and keep a cool head.”

What current fashion trend would you like to see disappear?
“Acid-washed jeans. They’re everywhere in Europe, and I see indie kids wearing them a lot.I can’t believe they’re coming back!”

What’s your biggest fashion regret?
“When I was in school, I teased my hair and wore jackets with big shoulder pads. It was very goth, like the French new wave band Indochine.”

Do you have a signature cocktail?
“Everywhere I go, I always order kir royale. It has become my trademark.”

Are you high main­tenance?
“Yes! It takes me anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half to get ready every morning.”

What’s your favourite colour?

“Bright canary yellow! I had a yellow couch for 15 years, and I have yellow shoes and a yellow watch. I’m super­stitious about it: When I go to important meetings, I always wear yellow.”

What’s your favourite movie?

Gone With the Wind, for sentimental reasons. When I was young in Vietnam, my grandmother forced me to read Gone With the Wind translated into Vietnamese so that I would learn the language. When I moved to Canada, it was the first movie I rented.”

What are you reading right now?
“You’re gonna laugh, but I just finished book one of the Twilight series — I’m always trying to understand the latest pop phenomenon.”

Where do you love to shop?
“I buy books at the Virgin Megastore in Paris. The first fashion book I bought was of Erté illustrations.”

Fast facts
“I love L’Oréal Paris’ Collagen Filler tubes."

“I love old-school movie stars! I’d love to dress Cate Blanchett.”

“My all-time favourite designers  are Jean Paul Gaultier, Claude Montana and Thierry Mugler.”