Diane von Furstenberg did not grow up with dreams of being a fashion designer. In fact, she wasn’t initially sure about her career path. “First of all, I never graduated (from the University of Geneva),” she said, “I did not know WHAT I wanted to do when I was at university, but I knew the kind of woman that I wanted to be. I wanted to be independent and not to have to rely on a man. Building a business and ultimately fashion is how I got there.” In the end, she attributes her success to her love for business and fashion. “I think I am both, you know,” said Diane, “I love to design and see the beauty in everything. I am always designing in my head. But, I also have a business in mind. I have always asked myself, ‘what do women want?’ and then I give that to them.”
And, as for her wrap dress, the signature of her company even today, how did this iconic wardrobe staple come to be? “The fabric inspired the dresses,” she said, “This great jersey fabric that does not wrinkle and can mold the body. Women of course inspire all of my designs. The wrap dress started as a wrap jersey top and a wrap skirt that I had made in a factory in Italy. It was so nice that I turned it into a dress.” She chose the jersey fabric because it fits a woman’s body and allows her to move and be more comfortable. “That’s so important,” she said, “And, I was drawn to the fabric because it was something I would wear. I never design anything I would not wear.”
Of course, at the time, she had no idea the dress would reach such iconic status. “But, what it did is it represented everything women wanted at the time- freedom, independence, strength. It was seductive, but you could wear it to work. And, it was easy to slip in and out of!” For Diane, the idea of style that works with a woman’s life has always been important. “I have always loved fashion because I love being a woman,” she said, “I did not know that I would be a fashion designer, but I became one because I was a woman and knew what I needed for me. I always had a sense of style and it always had very much to do with traveling and being on the go. I was at boarding school and then I was in Paris in my twenties and working for a fashion photography agency and so I started to understand more about how the business works.”
What about Diane’s own relationship with fashion? “It is passionate, it is fulfilling and empowering and always a mystery,” she said, “Mystery is so important in any relationship! Fashion is always changing and it is always reflecting the moment we are in.” As for her company, it is constantly changing too. “The first time around was a whirlwind… and I learned a lot that I was able to apply with planning for the second time,” she said, “And, now we are still growing. We are in over 70 countries. So, I think you have to be able to do both. Sometimes you plan and sometimes you have to just go with it!” Diane added that nothing beats the experience and wisdom you gain through the years.
Some of the strongest qualities she admires in successful individuals are strength, vision, and determination. “I am inspired by women and I work to inspire women,” she said, “With each collection, Yvan and I want to create clothes that make a woman feel confidents and like herself… the best version of herself. The woman we design for knows who she is and what she wants. She is the woman she wants to be!” One can certainly note the essence of this confidence in Diane’s new fragrance, rightly titled DIANE. “DIANE is all about seduction,” she said, “It was inspired by my life, my experiences, my travels, and it was meant to remind women of the power of perfume. It is a combination of scents I have discovered and grown to love. The frangipani, for example, I learned of in Bali and that is a special place to me. So, it is this powerful combination of things for me, but that can be translated to other women.”
Diane has created a fragrance before, but this one was different than others. “I was able to work with my dream team: Chantal Roos and perfumer Aurellen Guichard,” she said, “Together we created something timeless. I knew I wanted to create a classic… and that I wanted it to reflect my memories and the scents I love. The frangipani flower, the delicate violet. But, the balance was developed over time, over two years.” In fact, DIANE is her favorite fragrance.
With so much going on, how does Diane relax? Where does she find herself most at peace? “I love to hike and I am most at peace when I am in nature, walking,” she said, “And, when I have reached the top and it’s quiet and there is clarity. Clarity is so important.” Diane and her family have also strongly supported the New York High Line. “The whole adventure of the High Line illustrated my beliefs that dreams come true,” she said, “We had a dream that these old train tracks could be a beautiful park in the sky and our dream has come true! I love New York and I love the neighborhood. It is such a joy to see people walking there and living life.”
She notes that even after building a successful internationally recognized fashion business, her children remain her greatest creation. “I have a son and a daughter and now they have given me grandchildren,” she said, “I see them with their children now and I see that they were listening all along and that is the most rewarding thing.” Diane thinks it’s extremely important for women to balance a career and a family. “I believe that every woman should try to be a mother and that every mother should have a life outside of the home,” she said, “It is all about balance. If you love your family first and if you love your work and if you are true to yourself, it will all fall into place.”
With fall fashion week just around the corner, what is Diane looking forward to most this spring? “Our spring collection is called Beginnings,” she said, “It is all about the light and the dawn and starting fresh. I am looking forward to the pastels, the colors are so beautiful, and the prints – which are very hand drawn and feminine. And, my Harper Connect that I love so much is coming in spring colors! It is the most amazing bag if you don’t know about it. It has a hidden pocket for my iPad, so I can always have it with me everywhere!”
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text by: Haley Schultheis
images: DVF.com
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