In the mood of Andrea Karg: 'A smile is the best fashion accessory'

To celebrate Paris Fashion Week (February 28-March 7), Relaxnews presents a new feature, "In the mood of..." quizzing designers on their style secrets and sources of inspiration. Ahead of her March 7 presentation, we enter into the world of German creator Andrea Karg, founder of women's luxury cashmere label Allude. Here, she tells us the world should smile more and cites Lauren Bacall as her dream runway star.

Relaxnews: What in your opinion is the most essential accessory and why?
Andrea Karg: A big smile.... to be positive makes everything easier! And of course a big, very lightweight cashmere scarf is always one of your best companions. In summer when the evenings are getting chilly it looks great over a dress. It's so easy to create a sophisticated look with it.

In winter when you can't wear voluminous scarves in the house because they are too warm, a big, lightweight cashmere shawl guarantees perfect allure when draped sculpturally.

Or when travelling and you need something homey, this kind of accessory becomes a luxury blanket which carries the scent of your favorite perfume and makes you feel at home in one second.

R: Which item of clothing would you never allow into your wardrobe?
AK: I am not a "never ever" person.... life is changing and so do you. In general I am not a huge fan of fur. I try to avoid everything that exploits nature and makes other people, animals or nature suffer.

R: Which famous person, dead, alive or from fiction, would you most like to feature on your runway?
AK: I love Lauren Bacall. I would choose her; she was a very sophisticated, feminine woman. A man magnet but at the same time always grounded, down to earth and fully able to stand for herself. She was not only a sex symbol, but a fresh representative for a new type of woman always able to manage her life by herself without being unsexy...

R: What career path would you have followed if you hadn't become a designer?
AK: A travel or sports journalist, because traveling as well as sports are the private passions that I find balance in.

R: Which song do you most associate with your Fall/Winter 2012 collection?
AK: It only can be a mixture of songs because the collection is sexy, elegant, sculptural, molding, sporty, colorful, cozy, stylish, leisure and hot at the same time.

Since we are German but also very international, a song by Marlene Dietrich would be a good one: She united all these qualities in her personality with her very special allure. She loved Paris as I do. And she represented a sexy, strong, seductive, independent type of woman who was at home everywhere in the world -- characteristics of the woman who loves Allude.

Her voice is electrifying still today, it carries a very special feeling and seems to be independent of every era. This is also what cashmere, as well as our collection, is always about.

Listen to Dietrich at http://youtu.be/5M7kyr1jYks.

R: Cast your mind back, what did you feel the very first time you set foot in Paris?
AK: Magic -- a dream of my childhood which came true in that moment.