What Does Antonio Banderas Find the Hardest About Fashion School?

Antonio Banderas is already a triple threat in the film industry working as an actor, director and producer, but now he is ready to add one more thing to his resume: fashion designer.

Courtesy Antonio Banderas

After finding success with his fragrance line, Banderas admits he was bit by the fashion bug and wanted to try pursuing a more serious design career.

“I’ve been working with perfumes for 19 years and that’s a universe that is very close to fashion,” he tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “A couple of years ago I had this idea to put a company together, and base it around design.”

But that actor says he knew better than to jump right in to the fashion world — first he had to study. “I wanted to know the whole, entire thing,” he says.

RELATED PHOTOS: Star designers you must know!

Courtesy Antonio Banderas

In August, Banderas announced that he had enrolled in Central Saint Martins, the famed art and design school that counts Phoebe Philo, Alexander McQueen and John Galliano as alumni. He plans to study at the school for up to five years.

Banderas says he’s already begun making his own shirts, and while he admits the technical side of fashion like sewing is harder than he expected (“It’s just difficult”), he’s can’t believe how much he’s already learned.

“We are learning patterns, sketching, researching, everything,” he says. “It’s very artistic in a way.”

RELATED VIDEO:

For much more on Antonio Banderas and his new film The 33, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday. Would you buy Antonio Banderas’ line?

–Jodi Guglielmi, with reporting by Janine Rubenstein