While many fashion houses have launched their own fragrances, few have been as successful as DKNY. The Be Delicious range has proved a particular hit, standing head and shoulders above most of its competitors. However, the newest addition to the family, Delicious Night, takes the brand to a whole new level. Here, the creator of DKNY, Donna Karan, pictured, explains what she looks for when creating a new fragrance

What is your philosophy about beauty and fragrance?

To me, beauty is the sensual side of nature - touch, smell, taste and rhythm. It's also about laughing, loving and connecting to those around us.

What inspires you when you're creating a new fragrance?

I look for scents that seduce me... If I smell something that I love, that I'm really passionate about, then I want to bottle it - literally! Since I can't leave anything alone, I tend to want to mix it with other things I love, for both balance and clarity. For example, I like mixing the feminine with the masculine; the sweet with the spicy. DKNY Be Delicious is inspired by the juicy lushness of an apple, but we added florals and blonde woods for passion and airy sophistication.

Why did you choose the apple as the inspiration behind the Be Delicious bottles?

It is the symbol of New York City, but it is also so much more. It is the fruit of Adam and Eve; the symbol of a kind of innocence; a blooming sensuality; and the idea of freedom and empowerment. It's very New York and very DKNY. The design was inspired by a bronze apple sculpture made by Stephan (Weiss, Donna's late husband) that was donated to New York City. I think he would have been very proud of the beauty business he founded. It would have meant the world to him to see it realise its potential.