The show by British designer Giles Deacon, 38, was a highlight of London Fashion Week. Deacon is one of the easiest designers to spot, thanks to his trademark Aviator reading glasses. His career was launched when Bottega Veneta employed him, based on a drawing of a budgerigar driving a Rolls-Royce. He was crowned British Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2006. This week his top ten websites feature on “best of the net” for VisaURLife.co.uk

I was flying to Milan and the airplane engine caught fire. You could see smoke coming out of it and we had to drop 12,000ft in eight minutes. Yes, my ears went pop – and everything else. When we landed, they covered the plane in foam. Those landing-strip lights are about as much use as a fluorescent pen. I had to escape via the chute and run as far away from the airplane as possible. We ran faster than we knew we could. I was with Stuart Vevers [the former design director at Mulberry]. He was still listening to his Kylie CD. He didn’t really notice.

My design inspirations? Elsa Schiaparelli, Miuccia Prada, Coco Chanel and Mr Millets. He does a great tent, out of which you can make a really good cagoule, in army green. He’s an undiscovered couture master of the cagoule.

Super, smashing, great. Those are the three words I would choose to describe my style. Like Jim Bowen from Bullseye. No, he’s not my idol.

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• Pictures: Giles Deacon

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• Pictures: The Luella show

Related Links

• Video: Vivienne Westwood at London Fashion Week

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• Video: Backstage at Giles Deacon

• Video: Style parties at London Fashion Week

• Video: the Luella Bartley show

I wore regular clothes as a child. I never believe those designers who say they designed all their grandmother’s clothes when they were 3. I just think that’s so spooky. It’s like, couldn’t you be doing something more interesting than designing corsets for your grandmother?

Now is a really good period to be in London. Gareth [Pugh] does his thing, Christopher [Kane] does his, Marios [Schwab] his. It’s really good that there’s some strong, individual designers giving London a new voice. If you went to New York there would be eight collections that could all be designed by the same bloody person.

I do love Vivienne [Westwood]. She’s brilliant – a total unique genius, an amazing lady who’s done the most fantastic body of work for the last God knows how many years. Her coming back shows how important everyone is taking London.

Interviewing Karl Lagerfeld was interesting. Elle magazine asked me if I’d like to interview him. It was as interesting as this reply.

One of my favourite websites is the wonderful stephenjonesmillinery.com. Mr Jones – he’s a legend. He was in here on Saturday before going to a party and he wanted to go as a letter. He was going to put some par avion stickers on his head, which I thought was quite brilliant.

We like to check up on dirtydirtydancing.com. A guy goes to various parties, takes photos, then posts them. It’s good to check which placement students have been out the night before and don’t turn up to work. I’ve never seen the film, Dirty Dancing. I’m not a big Patrick Swayze fan. My favourite film is The Muppets. Beaker is my favourite. He’s a scientist. Everthing went wrong, which I empathised with. He had very good intentions.

I’ve worked with Linda [Evangelista] before. It’s amazing what you get from just being nice to people. I write a nice letter and send them an invite saying: “I’d be flattered and delighted if you had the time to come to London. These are the clothes and the pictures of them, we’d love to make you something”. And people respond. Yes, we have made many things for Linda. We still do.

It’s totally fine being straight in the fashion industry. I’ve no idea if people presume I’m gay.

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