Alicia Keys, 28, was born Alicia J. Augello-Cook in Harlem, New York, and is of Irish, Scottish, Italian and Jamaican descent. Since her debut album, Songs In A Minor, was launched in 2001, she has sold more than 20 million records and won 11 Grammys. Keys is also a spokeswoman for Keep a Child Alive, which provides life-saving Aids medicines directly to children and families with HIV/Aids in Africa. She is on the European leg of her As I Am tour, for which Giorgio Armani designed all the costumes.

My biggest fashion faux pas is all the times I've worn fur around my neck. It just doesn't work: you think it looks nice in the mirror, and it probably does look nice in the mirror, but when you see it back on TV, or in a picture, it looks like you're being attacked by an unruly animal.

We have hundreds of wardrobes for all the performance clothes. They are transported from city to city on a truck at the end of each night. Luckily, there are also two wonderful wardrobe assistants who set out the clothes each day, keep them clean and repair any damages. Personally, I just take out the stuff I need. I'm travelling with three suitcases at the moment, which isn't too bad, but they're all stuffed to the brim. It gets a little bit overwhelming and I still haven't quite figured out how best to travel.

I often go shopping by myself, but sometimes after a shoot I might say, “oh, my goodness, I love this and I love that”, and end up buying it there and then. I would describe my style as a mixture; it's definitely fun, a little flirty, sophisticated, a bit retro, and I love big sunglasses. They are just so useful when you don't feel like getting all put-together.

My friendship with Giorgio Armani happened early on. He started sending me clothes and then we began working more closely for big events. The first major dress we designed together was for the Grammys in 2006. It was a fully beaded black Privée dress that weighed about a ton, but once it was on, it felt just gorgeous. When Giorgio fits me, he comes in like a magician and twirls around me three or four times, checking which bits need pulling in and what should be taken out. He's totally, completely involved, and he's very gentle - I think he just loves women. I keep all the dresses that he makes for me. Many define special moments in my life and career, and I figure, eventually, I will work out what I want to do with them all.

There are so many things to consider when we design for the tour. You have to think about the heat to start with. Giorgio wanted me to open the show in a green jacket and I was like, “You know what, let's not think about a jacket, let's think about a vest”. You also have to consider the fabrics. If I wanted to wear satin pants all night, for example, they'd be five sizes bigger by the close of the show than they were when I started because they just stretch so much.

Fit and tailoring is also important. Something might look beautiful when I'm standing up, but what happens when I'm sitting at the piano? It's crazy. And on top of all of this, I have a large microphone pack that needs to go somewhere. I remember we were thinking of putting it on one of my shirts; we had it all tailored and beautiful but once the pack went in and we tried to close the shirt, I was like, “Oh no”.

Costume changes shouldn't take more than two minutes. I have four people who help me. One looks after my hair, one makes sure my make-up hasn't sweated off, another helps me in and out of the clothes and the last one gives me water and tea. This all happens at the same time. In the beginning, it is very stressful but now I've got it down to a fine art.

The first show of the tour, with Missy [Elliott] and Beyoncé, was a disaster; everything went wrong. The show was great, but everything else that could have failed did. And to top it all off, when I was about to say “Thank you and goodnight”, my pants split. Normally, I'd turn around and walk off, but I was like, “I can't turn around”. I think somehow I put my hand where I thought the split was and just backed out. It was funny.

Times recommends

• How to solve the big style questions
• Aids in Africa: ‘It is the staff who really inspire you’
• Video: How to do Beyonce's 'Single Ladies' dance