As a forerunner to the Festa Italiana to be held in Mumbai, which will feature ace Italian couturier Valentino's sweeping creations, Verve catches the veteran creator of haute couture, at his evocative best

You have dressed the world's most stylish icons from Jacqueline Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor to Jennifer Lopez. Who has been your muse and inspiration?

These are and will always be very special women to me and to everybody. They are true icons of what modern femininity means. But all women are special and inspirational, and that's what gives me energy.

Is there any Indian beauty who inspires you or who you would like to see wearing your ensembles?

The spontaneous grace of Indian women is astonishing. There is something deeply elegant about even their simplest gestures. If I have to think about women I would like to see in Valentino, I would say Shabana Azmi, Mira Nair, Mallika Sarabhai, and Alarmel Valli. Beautiful, talented women with great verve.

Have you ever been inspired by the sari? How do you feel about the traditional Indian garment?

I am fascinated and I draw inspiration by all things traditional and the Indian heritage is one of the most fascinating and inspirational of all. But I always transform these according to my idea of elegance which is inevitably contemporary and utterly urban.

Are any of your garments hand embroidered or crafted in India?

Yes, they are.

Bollywood has been the flavour of the year. Have you ever been inspired by the exotic?

My 2002 haute couture winter collection was totally inspired by India. The colours, the embroideries, the shapes. But there have always been Indian themes - whether in the prints or chromatically running through many of my collections. India is definitively a reference for my idea of beauty and grace.

If you had to design a sari for an Indian princess, what would it look like? Colour, texture, drape, blouse? What accessories would you add to your look?

It would be red silk jacquard with a silver warp.

Do you already have any Indian clients?

Kirat Binder, one of my favourite models of the 80s, is a very good friend and a client.

Where are you heading with your collections and looks? Will it always be very red carpet and formal?

Clothes should strike a balance between reality and glamour. To have meaning, they must maintain a strong connection with the lives of modern women. In couture, I can let my fantasy take over but ready-to-wear must be completely here and now.