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Diane von Fürstenberg

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Diane von Fürstenberg
von Fürstenberg in 2012
Born
Diane Simone Michele Halfin[1]

(1946-12-31) 31 December 1946 (age 77)
Brussels, Belgium
OccupationFashion designer
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1969; div. 1983)​
​
​
(m. 2001)​
ChildrenAlexander
Tatiana
Alma materUniversity of Geneva
Websitewww.dvf.com

Diane von Fürstenberg (born Diane Simone Michele Halfin; 31 December 1946)[2] is a Belgian fashion designer best known for her wrap dress.[3][4][5][6] She initially rose to prominence in 1969 when she married into the German princely House of Fürstenberg, as the wife of Prince Egon von Fürstenberg. Following their separation in 1972 and divorce in 1983, she has continued to use his family name.

Her fashion company, Diane von Furstenberg (DvF),[7] is available in over 70 countries and 45 free-standing shops worldwide,[8] with the company's headquarters and flagship boutique located in Manhattan's Meatpacking District.[9]

She is the past chairwoman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), a position she held from 2006 to 2019;[4] in 2014 was listed as the 68th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes;[10] and in 2015 was included in the Time 100, as an icon, by Time magazine.[11] In 2016, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the New School.[12] In 2019, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.[13]

Early years

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Fürstenberg was born Diane Simone Michele Halfin in Brussels, Belgium, to Jewish parents.[14] Her father, Bessarabian-born Leon (Lipa) Halfin, migrated to Belgium in 1929 from Chişinău, Kingdom of Romania (later Moldova) and later sought refuge from the Nazis in Switzerland.[15][1] Her mother was Greek-born Liliane Nahmias, from Thessaloniki, a Holocaust survivor, who was initially captured by the Nazis while she was a member of the Resistance during World War II.[16][17][1] Nahmias was first taken to Auschwitz, then transferred to Ravensbrück, where she was liberated 18 months before Fürstenburg's birth. Weighing only 44 pounds, her mother was told by doctors that she should not have children, that she could die in childbirth, and that her baby would not be normal.[18] Fürstenberg has spoken broadly about her mother's influence in her life, crediting her with teaching her that "fear is not an option."[19]

Fürstenberg attended a boarding school in Oxfordshire.[20] She studied at Complutense University of Madrid before transferring to the University of Geneva to study economics.[21] She then moved to Paris and worked as an assistant to fashion photographer's agent Albert Koski.[4] She left Paris for Italy to apprentice with the textile manufacturer Angelo Ferretti in his factory, where she learned about cut, color and fabric.[4] It was here that she designed and produced her first silk jersey dresses.

Career and brand

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A woman with wavy and curly hair wearing a white dress with multi-colored stripes smiles on a fashion runway
Von Fürstenberg at the 2008 New York Fashion Week

A year after marrying, Fürstenberg began designing women's clothes: "The minute I knew I was about to be Egon's wife, I decided to have a career. I wanted to be someone of my own, and not just a plain little girl who got married beyond her deserts."[22] After the Fürstenbergs separated in 1973, Egon also became a fashion designer.[23][24] After moving to New York, she met high-profile Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, who declared her designs "absolutely smashing". She had her name listed on the fashion calendar for New York Fashion Week, and so her business was created.[4] She moved into an estate in Connecticut she named Cloudwalk, and has lived there since.[25]

In 1974, she introduced the knitted jersey "wrap dress", which became an iconic piece in women's fashion; it is included in the collection of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.[3][7][26][27] Soon after the launch, 25,000 dresses were selling each week; one million dresses had been sold by 1976, according to Forbes. After the success of the wrap dress, von Fürstenberg was featured on the cover of Newsweek magazine in 1976.[28][29] The accompanying article declared her "the most marketable woman since Coco Chanel."[30] She launched a cosmetic line and her first fragrance, "Tatiana", named after her daughter.[30] The New York Times reported that by 1979 the annual retail sales for the company were $150 million (equivalent to $630 million in 2023).[4]

In 1985, von Fürstenberg moved to Paris, where she founded Salvy, a French-language publishing house.[4] She started a number of other businesses, including a line of cosmetics and a home-shopping business, which she launched in 1991. In 1992, von Fürstenberg sold $1.2 million (equivalent to $2.6 million in 2023) of her Silk Assets collection in two hours on QVC.[30] She credits the success with giving her the confidence to relaunch her company.[citation needed]

Fürstenberg relaunched her company in 1997, and reintroduced the wrap dress, which gained popularity with a new generation of women. Initially, the relaunch was a failure but, with the appointment of Paula Sutter as president of the brand, it was seemingly restored to its heyday of the mid-seventies. In 1998, she published her business memoir, Diane: A Signature Life.[4] In 2004, she introduced the DVF by H. Stern fine jewelry collection, and launched scarves and beachwear. In 2006, she was elected president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, a position she held until 2019. In 2008, she received a star on Seventh Avenue's Fashion Walk of Fame.[4]

First Lady Michelle Obama wearing a Diane von Fürstenberg wrap dress

In 2009, Michelle Obama wore the DVF signature "Chain Link" print wrap dress on the official White House Christmas card.[31] That same year, a large-scale retrospective exhibition entitled "Diane von Furstenberg: Journey of a Dress" opened at the Manezh, one of Moscow's largest public exhibition spaces. Curated by Andre Leon Talley, it attracted media attention. In 2010, the exhibition traveled to São Paulo; and in 2011, to the Pace Gallery in Beijing.[32]

In 2010, von Furstenberg was awarded a gold medal at the annual Queen Sofía Spanish Institute Gold Medal Gala.[33] In 2011, DVF introduced a home collection, and a signature fragrance, Diane.[34]

In 2012, von Fürstenberg launched her first children's collection with GapKids[35] and a denim collaboration with Current/Elliott.[36]

A dress von Fürstenberg designed in the 1970s was part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.

Her clothes have been worn by celebrities including Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Beckinsale, Madonna, Tina Brown, Jessica Alba, Susan Sarandon, Priyanka Chopra, Jennifer Lopez and Whitney Houston.[37] Google Glass made its New York Fashion Week debut at the designer's Spring 2013 fashion show.[38]

In 2014, the designer joined the Ban Bossy campaign as a spokesperson advocating leadership roles for girls.[39][40][41] She also released her second memoir, The Women I Wanted to Be, an autobiography which delved into her personal life and upbringing.

Between 2017 and 2019, the DVF brand lost nearly $80 million, leading to an eventual 75% of the workforce made redundant in the U.S in May 2020. By 2018, sales, which had been $300 million before the 2008 recession, were down to $150 million.[42]

In 2018, the brand banned mohair use after a PETA exposé showed workers mutilating and killing goats to obtain it.[43] All fur, angora and exotic skins were also banned from future collections.[44]

In 2020, DVF closed 18 of its 19 American stores.[45][better source needed]

Philanthropy

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Fürstenberg is a director of the Diller – von Furstenberg Family Foundation, which provides support to nonprofit organizations in the areas of community building, education, human rights, arts, health and the environment.[46] In 2010, the foundation created The DVF Awards, presented annually to four women who display leadership, strength and courage in their commitment to women's causes.[47] In 2011, the foundation made a $20 million commitment to the High Line.[48]

In 2006, she was elected President of The Council of Fashion Designers of America, (CFDA), after winning the Andre Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005.[citation needed]

Fürstenberg sits on the board of Vital Voices, a women's leadership organization,[49] and served as one of the project chairs for New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's review of the future of NYC's Fashion industry, prepared by New York City Economic Development Corporation.[50]

In 2016, Fürstenberg designed shirts for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.[51][52]

In 2019, Fürstenberg launched the #InCharge podcast, on Spotify, with the goal of empowerment for women. Podcast guests include Kris Jenner, Elaine Welteroth, Karlie Kloss, Priyanka Chopra, Martine Rothblatt, Teo Wan Lin,[53] among others.[54]

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In 2014, Ovation TV featured The Fashion Fund, a documentary about the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund competition. Fürstenberg starred alongside Anna Wintour in the program.[55]

In November 2014, the E! network started airing the first season of reality show House of DVF. Contestants on the show performed various tasks and challenges in the hopes of becoming a global brand ambassador for Fürstenberg.[56][57] In September 2015, it returned for a second (final) season.[58]

In 2024, Disney+ released Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge a feature-length biographical documentary of von Furstenberg's life and business. The documentary features interviews with Oprah, Hillary Clinton, Marc Jacobs and other notable artists and designers. The documentary received positive reviews. [59] [60]

Personal life

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A woman with wavy and curly hair wearing a white dress lined with a teal fabric smiles as she looks to her right while standing next to a man wearing a tuxedo
Von Fürstenberg with her second husband Barry Diller at the 2009 Metropolitan Opera premiere

At university, when she was 18, she met Prince Egon von Fürstenberg, the elder son of Prince Tassilo zu Fürstenberg, a German Roman Catholic prince, and his first wife, Clara Agnelli, an heiress to the Fiat automotive fortune and member of the Italian nobility. Married in 1969,[27] the couple had two children, Alexander[22] and Tatiana. She is grandmother of five, including Talita von Fürstenberg.

The von Fürstenbergs' marriage, although unpopular with the groom's family because of her Jewish ethnicity, was considered dynastic, and on her marriage she became 'Her Serene Highness Princess Diane of Fürstenberg'.[61] She lost any claim to the title following their separation in 1972 and divorce in 1983.[62][63]

In 2001, she married American media mogul Barry Diller.[22]

In 2009, Fürstenberg signed a petition in support of film director Roman Polanski, calling for his release after Polanski was arrested in Switzerland in relation to his 1977 sexual abuse case.[64]

On 28 February 2020, von Fürstenberg was made a Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur for her contributions to fashion, women's leadership, and philanthropy. She was presented the award by Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, in a ceremony at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs headquarters on the Quai d'Orsay.[65]

Details of her ancestry were included in the episode "Fashion's Roots" (season 6, 13 October 2020), of the PBS series Finding Your Roots.[66]

Fürstenberg owns the super-yacht Eos with her husband. It features a figurehead of von Fürstenberg sculpted by artist Anh Duong.[67] She reportedly swims in the sea every morning for two hours, and hikes in the afternoons. She has travelled the world and claims to be "the world's lightest packer and always ready to go".[68]

Published works

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  • Furstenberg, Diane von (1976). Diane Von Furstenberg's Book of Beauty: How to Become a More Attractive, Confident, and Sensual Woman. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0671219048.
  • Furstenberg, Diane von (1998). Diane: A Signature Life. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0684843834.
  • Furstenberg, Diane von (2014). The Woman I Wanted to Be. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1451651546.
  • Furstenberg, Diane von (2021). Own It: The Secret to Life. Phaidon Press. ISBN 978-1838662325.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Stated on Finding Your Roots, October 13, 2020
  2. ^ "December 31, 1946: Diane von Fürstenberg, Designer of the Wrap Dress, Was Born". Lifetime. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Diane von Furstenberg RTW Fall 2014". WWD. 9 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Diane von Furstenberg". Vogue. Archived from the original on 8 August 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  5. ^ "Diane von Furstenberg | Belgian-born American fashion designer and businesswoman". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  6. ^ von Furstenberg, Diane (2013). Diane: A Signature Life. Simon and Schuster. ASIN B00B3VMMLK.
  7. ^ a b Rosenbloom, Stephanie (18 July 2009). "Tightening Belts? She's the Expert". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  8. ^ Jess Cartner-Morley, Diane von Furstenberg: "I danced at Studio 54. Now I work with Google", theguardian.com, 1 July 2014.
  9. ^ "Diane von Furstenberg". Meatpacking district. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  10. ^ "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women". Forbes. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  11. ^ "How We Pick the Time 100". MSN. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  12. ^ "Laverne Cox, Diane Von Furstenberg, DeRay Mckesson Named Honorary Degree Recipients by the New School". 31 March 2016.
  13. ^ National Women's Hall of Fame, Diane von Fürstenberg
  14. ^ "Top 50 most influential Jews 2013: Places 31–40". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  15. ^ von Fürstenberg, Diane (15 August 2005). "Honoring My cousin's Courage". The Forward. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  16. ^ Kuczynski, Alex (1 November 2012). "Diane von Furstenberg". W. Retrieved 21 April 2013.
  17. ^ "Diane Von Furstenberg – MAKERS PROFILE". Makers: Women Who Make America. Archived from the original on 21 March 2014. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  18. ^ "I encourage every woman to be a badass, says Diane von Furstenberg". FashionUnited. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  19. ^ "Diane von Furstenberg on Her Work". Ujafedny. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 16 July 2012.
  20. ^ "My London: Diane Von Furstenberg". Evening Standard. 21 November 2018.
  21. ^ Sowray, Bibby (5 April 2012). "Diane von Furstenberg". Vogue. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  22. ^ a b c Maynard, Joyce (16 February 1977). "The Princess Who is Everywhere". The New York Times.
  23. ^ Wohlfert-Wihlborg, Lee (21 December 1981). "The Original Von Furstenberg, Egon, Wakes Up to His Own Potential". PEOPLE.com. Vol. 16, no. 25. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  24. ^ Rourke, Mary (12 June 2004). "Egon von Furstenberg, 57; Gave Up Banking Career for Fashion Design". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
  25. ^ Phelan, Hayley (2014). "Diane von Furstenberg Has a Giant Lipstick Tree in Her Backyard". Fashionista.
  26. ^ "Runway Collections | Who's Wearing Diane von Furstenberg: 10 Key Moments". InStyle. Archived from the original on 15 July 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  27. ^ a b Miller, Amanda Christine (6 December 2017). "Diane von Furstenberg On Wrap Dresses And The Joys Of Aging Gracefully". HuffPost. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  28. ^ Korsiak Cellier, Sarah (21 September 2014). "The Iconic Wrap Dress : Diane von Furstenberg". Vintage Fashion Guide. Rice and Beans Vintage.com.
  29. ^ Menkes, Suzy (1 December 1998). "The Charmed Lives and Free Spirit of Diane Von Furstenberg: It's a Wrap: The Image of an Era". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  30. ^ a b c "Diane Von Furstenberg – Designer Fashion Label". New York. Archived from the original on 23 August 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  31. ^ "One dress changed Diane von Furstenberg's life". CBS News. Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  32. ^ Barboza, David (17 December 2010). "Diane Von Furstenberg and China: A Perfect Fit?". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  33. ^ "Queen Sofia Spanish Institute Gold Medal Gala" (Press release). Queen Sofía Spanish Institute. 19 November 2013. Archived from the original on 26 January 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
  34. ^ Cunningham, Isla (7 October 2011). "Diane von Furstenberg celebrates fragrance launch with flash mob". Harper's Bazaar UK. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  35. ^ "Diane von Furstenberg Fetes New Gap Kids Line, Set to Launch March 15". NBC New York. Archived from the original on 12 December 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  36. ^ Zalopany, Chelsea (2 February 2012). "Now Collaborating – Diane Von Furstenberg + Current/Elliot". T. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  37. ^ Moss, Hilary (8 July 2011). "Kate Middleton Wears Roksanda Ilincic, DVF & Jenny Packham In California". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  38. ^ Leung, Mariana (13 September 2012). "NY Fashion week: Diane von Furstenburg". Ms. FABulous..
  39. ^ Lee, Jolie (10 May 2014). "Beyonce, Jennifer Garner, Jane Lynch join 'Ban Bossy" campaign". USA Today. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  40. ^ Peyser, Andrea (17 March 2014). "Facebook COO Sandberg's ludicrous crusade against bossy". New York Post. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
  41. ^ Monde, Chiderah (10 March 2014). "Beyoncé, Jennifer Garner, Jane Lynch join prominent women in #BanBossy campaign". Daily News. New York. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  42. ^ The Fashion and Design Club (22 December 2021). Inside the Brand: Diane von Furstenburg: Unwrapping the Hype. The Fashion and Design Club. ISBN 9798788964041.
  43. ^ Roberts, Lauretta (19 July 2018). "Diane Von Furstenberg bans mohair after disturbing PETA exposé". TheIndustry.fashion.
  44. ^ Newbold, Alice (1 October 2018). "Diane Von Furstenberg To Stop Using Fur". British Vogue.
  45. ^ The Fashion and Design Club (22 December 2021). "Inside the Brand: Diane von Furstenberg: Unwrapping the Hype". Amazon UK.
  46. ^ "Directors". The Diller – von Furstenberg Family Foundation. Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  47. ^ "Philanthropy: About The DVF Awards". DvF. Retrieved 21 December 2020. The DVF Awards were founded in 2010
  48. ^ Friends of the High Line (27 October 2011). "Diller – von Furstenberg Family Foundation Makes Historic $20M Commitment to the Future of the High Line". High Line. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  49. ^ "Board of Directors". Vital Voices. 19 April 2012. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  50. ^ Strauss, Steven; Sundjaja, Kristy; Gandhi, Meghana; Wong, Victor; Yoo, Jennifer (2012). Fashion.NYC.2020 (PDF) (Report). New York City Economic Development Corporation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 June 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  51. ^ "Diane von Furstenberg Tee". May 2016. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  52. ^ Yotka, Steff (5 May 2016). "Diane von Furstenberg and Eva Fehren Join Hillary Clinton's Made for History T-Shirt Project". Vogue. Archived from the original on 8 July 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  53. ^ MU/SE x Diane von Furstenberg Specijal - Dr Teo Wan Lin. Muse Magazine. 30 January 2020 [2020]. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021.
  54. ^ Robinson, Cheryl. "Diane Von Furstenberg Launches InCharge Podcast Exclusively On Spotify To Inspire Women". Forbes. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  55. ^ Steigrad, Alexandra (14 January 2014). "Anna Wintour, 'The Fashion Fund' to Air on Cable TV". Women's Wear Daily. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  56. ^ "House of DVF". E! Online. November 2014. Archived from the original on 24 June 2015. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  57. ^ Zinko, Carolyne (22 December 2014). "Diane von Furstenberg picks SF native as winner of "House of DVF" TV contest". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  58. ^ Mau, Dhani (15 January 2015). "'House of DVF' Is Coming Back For A 2nd Season". Fashionista. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  59. ^ Mathieson, Craig (25 June 2024). "Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  60. ^ Frost, Caroline (23 July 2024). "Diane Von Fürstenberg on Disney Plus documentary, her career and marriage". Radio Times. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  61. ^ von Ehrenkrook, Hans Friedrich; von Hueck, Walter; Franke, Christoph (1991). Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels: 100 Fürstliche Häuser [Genealogical Handbook of the nobility: 100 Princely Houses] (in German). Vol. 14. CA Starke. p. 261. ISBN 978-379-8007-000. OCLC 163521699.
  62. ^ Morris, Bernardine (18 April 1975). "Basic Dresses in Sexy Prints – and Washable". The New York Times. p. 52.
  63. ^ Robinson, Katie (2 June 2017). "7 Things You Never Knew About Diane von Fürstenberg". Town & Country. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  64. ^ "Signez la pétition pour Roman Polanski !". La Règle du jeu (in French). 10 November 2009. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  65. ^ Phelps, Nicole (29 February 2020). "Diane von Furstenberg Receives the Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur From Christine Lagarde in Paris". Vogue. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  66. ^ Gates, Henry Louis Jr. (13 October 2020). "Meet Our Guests: Diane von Furstenberg (Season 6, Episode 11: Fashion's Roots)". WETA-TV.
  67. ^ Cutter, Kimberly (1 August 2007). "Personal Style: Diane von Furstenberg". Harper's Bazaar. New York: Hearst Communications. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  68. ^ "Here Are Diane von Furstenberg's Travel Essentials". Virtuoso. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
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