'I am a man without routine. I never know where my things are. I'm an organised man, but having so many places to go, I'm always misplacing things. I'm a real sans domicile fixe. By travelling around the world for so many years, I've acquired so many places to live that I'm a real citizen of the world. I'm constantly moving from one house to another. I go from Aspen to New York to London to Paris, Geneva, Bangkok, Hong Kong, so I live out of suitcases and tend to leave part of them here and there.
Today, someone brought me 10 suits that I'd left somewhere, but now I don't have the accessories to go with them and it's a big problem. I'm normally up around 7am, but last night, I forgot to switch off my telephone and I was woken at 4am with, 'Hey, Philippe!'
When I wake up, I go to the sauna. I do a lot of sauna. Before I go to bed, even if it's 2am, I'll go to the sauna. I try to organise my wardrobe the night before because I get very excited in the morning and I'm always late because it takes time to match all the accessories. Black is easy but I rarely wear black - and as soon as you don't go black, it's a big headache.
Shoes, glasses, watch, jewellery, belt, ring - I think very fast, but I have to find it all and that takes time. When I'm in Geneva, I like to pick the car of the day. I have many cars and which one I choose depends on the weather. It's always a big problem starting the car because I can never find the key. I love open cars; I enjoy the air and sun.
I don't set an alarm clock, so they expect me in the office when they see me. I work late, so I show up whenever I want, usually between 9am and 11am. I like a good, well-organised breakfast. I'm a good eater. I don't like to miss lunch. I don't like to miss anything for the simple reason that, first, I have a good appetite, and second, like everyone else, I like to keep in shape. If I miss a meal, a couple of hours later I'll jump on junk food - and that'll do a lot of damage.
I don't like to stay long at the table; I'm quite a quick eater. I like wine and if I drink it with lunch, I'll fall asleep, but I love to do siesta. I'm very Mediterranean, so if I can have my siesta, this is perfect for me.
I don't have e-mail, I don't have a computer. I know my staff know how it works and I know they know I don't know how it works. I have an e-mail address and everything goes to my personal assistant. She prints off the important messages, throws away the garbage and takes care of
the rest.
I love action and racing cars. Last year, I finished third at the French GT Championship, but I did win some years ago. Every year, I compete in the Trophee Andros - ice racing. I drive very powerful, very light cars: four-wheel drive, centralised engine, 500 brake horsepower. It's a crazy thing to drive but I love it. I am one of the 20 fastest men on ice in a car. You have to turn using a peculiar technique. You have spikes, but if you were to try and corner normally, the inertia would take you straight. Instead, you have to throw the wheel over so you spin 180 degrees, then shift to first and, while you are sliding backwards, accelerate. When your wheels are turning at about 160km/h, you stop and start to move forward very slowly. It's like Donald Duck going around a corner. It's 10 times more interesting to watch than Formula One.
My daughter and son live in New York. She's vice-president of the company and my son is a contemporary artist. When they were born, I figured if I was racing, my son was playing golf and my daughter playing tennis, we'd never have anything to talk about. So I tried to convince them from an early age to love my sport. They say I don't win enough.
I'm 100 per cent involved in product development.
I'm not designing everything, but I'm conceptualising.
For every new direction, colour and trend, I approve the development at every stage and I give the final go-ahead before production. My other hobby is buying art and I'm in Hong Kong because of the [Hong Kong-based art-promoting charity] Philippe Charriol Foundation. I don't collect; I'm an art lover, so I acquire. If I see something beautiful, I look, I pay attention - even if it's a man or a woman. You can't buy another human being, but you can buy art. Twenty years ago, Hong Kong's art scene was poor. People were concentrating on making money; you couldn't find an artist.
I can identify with artists; they have a difficult task. They must wake up each morning and try to convince others what you have done is of some value. Once a year we auction 30 pieces from more than 300 entries at a big party. I'm not a charity; a pat on the back won't pay the bills. The auction helps prove to some of them their art has a market value. Some might continue their career in art and some might go back to working in an office.
When I set up the foundation, I didn't say, 'Hey guys, I'm French and I'm going to show you why the French are so great at art.' I wanted to do the opposite. I wanted to take these people out from nowhere and give them some exposure and try to create some value for their art, even send some of them to France.
Sometimes at night, if I can't sleep, I'll go and race up and down the road, especially when it's icy. I'm the only one on the road and it's midnight. My friends never want to come with me, but I'm a very safe driver.'
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