Nicolas Ghesquière's academic studies prepared him for his fashion role.

The creative director of Louis Vuitton studied history and mathematics during his school days but always had an eye towards making it as a fashion designer.

He said: ''Everything I was doing - studying history, studying mathematics, my motivation to study was because I thought that one day those things could be interesting to express in fashion.''

Nicolas was 17 when he decided to move to Paris in a bid to work for Jean Paul Gaultier, a move that upset his parents.However, when he got a role at the company, his father was so shocked by his pay check that he wondered if he was doing anything illegal.

He shared of his parents' disappointment: ''My mother was crying. My father was a very strong man. He was very tough with me.

''It was hard ... I had to explain that suddenly I was making maybe twice the salary he was getting. It was a big break and I was 21.''

The 49-year-old fashion designer admits it has been ''constantly under discussion'' for him to have his own fashion label, but he quipped he would be one of the first ''old designers'' to have their own eponymous brand.

Of the prospect, he told Vanity Fair magazine: ''It's constantly under discussion. I won't be the fresh darling ... one of the first old designers to make a new brand. So I'm not saying 'no' but I'm not saying 'yes.'''