DIANE von FURSTENBERG FASHION ICON
First and foremost Diane von Furstenberg is a legend . In my opinion the fashion world would be far less diverse and rich without Diane. No doubt Ms. von Furstenberg's contributions to fashion and glamour are remarkable and her story is inspirational.
DIANE VON FURSTENBERG BIOGRAPHY:
Born Diane Halfin, Diane von Furstenberg was born in Brussels, Belgium. Her father who was a Russian emigre .and her mother who had been liberated from Auschwitz only 18 months before Diane's birth .At this point lets note that Diane was well-educated. In fact as a student she traveled in England, Spain and Switzerland.Furthermore Diane studied at the University of Madrid and transferred to the University of Geneva.
After college, Diane worked as an assistant to Albert Koshi, an agent for fashion photographers in Paris. Incidently her informal education continued when she then moved to Italy. At this point Diane von Furstenberg the designer was born. As a matter of fact she worked for textile manufacturer Angelo Ferretti. Arguably this was the turning point in her life. As a result of this experience she designed her first silk jersey dresses.
DIANE GETS MARRIED
In the mean time at the University of Geneva, Diane had met a German prince who had been born in Switzerland, Prince Egon zu Fürstenberg. As a result they married in 1969, and moved to New York. There, they had a high-profile society life. However his family did not like that she was of Jewish heritage .At this point two children were born in quick succession: a son, Alexandre, in 1970, six months after the wedding, and a daughter, Tatiana, in 1971.
Hence in 1970, with the prince's support, and likely influenced by the rise of feminism .Diane sought financial independence by opening the Diane von Furstenberg Studio.
Consequently this started Diane von Furstenberg's rise as a designer. Most noteworthy she designed her own prints, and made easy to wear dresses of silk, cotton and polyester knits.
THE WRAP
At this point her world changed. In 1972, she created the wrap dress that was to bring her so much recognition .By and large the wrap dress first appeared the next year, manufactured in Italy. Actually it was cotton jersey; Diane von Furstenberg's intent was to create something both feminine-looking and easy to care for.
However regrettably that same year, DVF and her husband divorced .As a result she lost the right to the title of Princess zu Fürstenberg and restyled herself as Diane von Furstenberg.
Next in 1975, Diane von Furstenberg created the fragrance Tatiana, named for her daughter. The fragrance sold well. Meanwhile, she was so well-known that she appeared on the cover of Newsweek. She displaced the image of Gerald Ford who had been originally scheduled for that cover in 1976 . At the same time she was publicly associated with Warren Beatty, Richard Gere and Ryan O'Neal.
However Von Furstenberg sold her studio and licensed her name to be used on other products. In 1979, products with the name Diane von Furstenberg represented sales of $150 million. By 1983, she closed her cosmetics and fragrance business.
THE COMEBACK
While from 1983 to 1990, DVF lived in Bali and Paris. No doubt she had many interests and founded a publishing company in Paris, Salvy. However in 1990, she returned to the United States, and the next year launched a new home shopping business. ironically her new company, Silk Assets,broke new ground and sold products on the new television outlet, QVC. Moreover she again had a winner, her first product sold $1.2 million in two hours.
Selling on QVC, a company acquired by Barry Diller who was a friend and frequent companion of von Furstenberg since the 1970s, was a success.
Consequently riding the wave of success, in 1997, von Furstenberg went into business with her daughter-in-law, Alexandra, re-launching her company. Incidentally the popularity in the 1990s of 1970s fashions, von Furstenberg brought back the wrap dress in silk jersey, new prints and new colors.
Furthermore she published a memoir in 1998, recounting her life story and business successes. Then in 2001, she married Barry Diller, who had been a friend since the 1970s .Meanwhile she also became involved in books and movies, producing Forty Shades of Blue, which won a prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.
By 2005, Diane von Furstenberg boutiques were in operation in New York and Miami in the United States, and in London and Paris in Europe. Von Furstenberg served on a a number of corporate boards.
GIVING BACK
Above all else Diane von Furstenberg also supported many causes, among them the Anti-Defamation League and the Holocaust Museum.
In addition she has been honored for her work in redeveloping space in New York City and for her work against AIDS. Finally with her husband, she funds a private family foundation, The Diller-Von Furstenberg Family Foundation. In 2010, as part of an initiative by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett, she pledged to donate half her fortune to Giving Pledge.
DIANE von FURSTENBERG THE BRAND TODAY
While Diane von Furstenberg is a woman , she is also the brand. The brand called DVF is one of the strongest success stories in fashion. If you follow fashion as closely as I do you will have noticed a rebirth at DVF. Hence last spring Diane made a decision to center her work on philanthropy .In fact at that time DVF hired a new Chief Creative Officer Jonathon Saunders . While with his fresh eye he took the reigns at DVF the thoughts behind this brand stayed the same. Therefore the brand that Diane created about strong, independent women landed on its feet . Diane von Furstenberg remains at the helm as Chairman and founder of DVF. At the same time she is the chairwoman of The Council of American Fashion Designers.
D V F SPRING/SUMMER 2017
The first collection by Jonathon Saunders at DVF was a resounding success . While putting the iconic wrap dress at the center of this collection he also put his own mark on the brand. The shapes and cuts that appeared in this collection were fresh and new . The fabrics featured inhouse custom prints and an incredible eye for color. I was awed by the sophistication of the cropped tees and formfitting dresses . There's something for every woman in the collection. Therefore you may be delighted by the wide range of styles , lengths , from rompers to midi skirts . In fact I am thrilled with the respect paid to Ms von Furtenbergs aesthics and Saunders own modern edge . Shop these looks and pay tribute to a true fashion icon Diane von Furstenberg.
IN CONCLUSION
Diane von Furstenberg is a fashion icon and one of the most influential American designers. Since she has handed the creative control of DVF to Johnathon Saunders, she has worked tirelessly for the many charties she supports. While she continues her work in philanthropy let us celebrate the great contributions she has made as a designer . Please shop this post the great brand DVF truly has something for everyone. Ciao for now Jandrew