Simon Doonan's rules for living

1) ‘Don’t try to start a fashion company using your Aunt Mitzi’s pension fund,’ as you’ll feel terrible when your entrepreneurial efforts leave her ‘destitute.’

2) ‘Make sure you have at least one drag queen in your life.’ Aside from the glamour, they’re very ‘life-affirming.’

3) ‘When you spray on perfume, do it the Valentino way: Spray a cloud of cologne into the air and then walk into it. Never “splosh” it directly on your skin.’

4) Don’t forget to tip the hotel maid on your ‘fun’ and ‘cheesy’ business trips. ‘Good karma for you, cash for her.’

5) ‘Always keep a jar of pickles in the refrigerator. You never know when Aunt Mitzi (or Snooki) might drop in.’

6) It’s all about ‘Retail, retail, retail!’: ‘Get a job in a store. After a quarter of a century at Barneys, I can tell you that retail has given me an incredible, enriching, stimulating, gorgeous career. There’s never a dull moment.’