David Netto's design heroes

David Netto and his wife Elizabeth

Damien Hirst “He’s a new style hero of mine. I recently had lunch with him after one of his shows and he was so much fun  – the guy has total balls. He has all this success surrounding him and people genuflecting to him, but I think he wouldn’t be afraid to risk it all tomorrow. He’s a mischievous terroriser of his own success.”

Peter Cushing “He was easily the best-dressed actor of the Fifties and Sixties. He had great style and dignity even in the campest of films.” 

Paul Smith “I am inspired by Paul Smith, both as a person and as a success story. I love the environment of his stores. He’s created an empire with no design compromises and no selling out. There’s a coherence to Paul Smith stores all over the world, but at the same time they are highly individualistic.”

Steve Jobs “I’m proud to say I am an Apple shareholder, not because I know anything about computers, but because about six years ago I walked into an Apple store and thought ‘this is going to blow up’. Everything was so beautifully presented, and it was overstaffed. Apple made the torturous experience of buying a phone into an exciting one, which is what I try to do for baby furniture.”

Yves Saint Laurent “He had such amazing talent and sacrificed all the happiness he could have ever had to make his fashion house successful. He was subject to nervous breakdowns and drug abuse, but he chose to do a job well done. I have great admiration for him.”