Philipp Plein has never been invited to a fashion show.

The 39-year-old designer admitted he ''didn't have a clue'' what to do when he first showcased his creations with a catwalk event because he's never experienced the style extravaganza's first-hand as an audience member.

He said: ''I've never been to any fashion show by myself.

''I've never been invited to any. So I don't know how it really is to go to a fashion show.

''I started as an outsider to the fashion industry, and from the beginning, I didn't have any clue how to set one up. So we just did it our way.''

And Philipp compared his shows to a ''happy funeral'', because they signal the end of one collection and the beginning of a new one for him.

He added to BBC News: ''A fashion show is a bit like a happy funeral.

''You work so hard for months on putting a show together, and then the moment you reveal the collection to the public, you've buried it, because then you have to start working on a new one.''

The German-born designer doesn't worry about having to seek inspiration for his creations because he can get ideas from anything from a game of chess to an interesting piece of wallpaper.

He said: ''Inspirations are everywhere. Some people say 'I go to India, I go here, I go there' - that's all [rubbish].

''You can have inspiration watching television at home, reading a book or playing chess.

''You could see wallpaper and say 'that's a great print for a dress'. Or you could see a painting and say wow, I like the colour combination.

''You have to be open-minded.''