Diane von Furstenberg on the Power of a Little Dress, VOICES2023 | The Business of Fashion

Diane von Furstenberg has been synonymous with women’s empowerment since she first unveiled her revolutionary wrap dress in 1974. But for her, the garment became much more than a symbol, it became the key to her own independence.
“I did not know what I wanted to do, but I knew the kind of woman I wanted to be,” von Furstenberg told author and spiritual wellness advocate Deepak Chopra, her friend of three decades, on stage at BoF VOICES 2023. “I wanted to be in charge. I wanted to be free. I mean freedom. I wanted to be my own person. And I wanted to have a man's life in a woman's body. And the way I became that woman was a little dress.”
This week on The BoF Podcast, von Furstenberg and Chopra look back on the designer’s journey from princess to fashion powerhouse, and share their collective wisdom on finding meaning in life.
Key Insights:
- Born in Belgium, von Furstenberg is the daughter of a Romanian father and Greek-born, Jewish mother who survived the Holocaust. “She taught me that fear was not an option,” von Furstenberg says of her mother. “That no matter what, you could never be a victim.”
- Despite her decades-long career in fashion, it wasn’t until von Furstenberg received the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s lifetime achievement award in 2005 that she considered herself a designer. “Because I didn't go to fashion school, I thought I wasn't a designer,” she recalls. “But the one thing I know I am, I can design life … You're not in charge of your destiny, but you can navigate your destiny.”
- Von Furstenberg’s work with various causes and non-profits is as close to her heart as her namesake business. “I never really loved the word philanthropy because it sounds like landscaping. You feel like you need an expert, but it is about being human. And it is about paying attention to others.”
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Look out for more VOICES videos coming soon, bringing you the best of our annual global gathering for big thinkers.
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[@deesticco1719]

Interesting ! Finally sum up as a journey with different landscapes! Keep your eyes 👀 on after life goal !

[@saraafailal8988]

Amazing 😍😍😍😍

[@thunderchimp]

I hold Diane close to my heart! My time in New York brought me DVF store for massage and we started a friendship that was special kind, and the time we spent with each other was monumental for me and pivotal for her. Our friendship can’t be taken away or stripped from me. She’s beautiful, kind and loving but tough as nails and successful through her hands and her femininity in an industry that was a man’s world. She is instrumental in maintaining her composure and still creating the most beautiful and feminine fashion. Diane’s acemetery in design represents the individuality of each woman’s frame and that each and every woman is mind individual and unique. I will never forget her or the time we spent together. Her art is in her hands and her authenticity is in our tag. DVF/Dl #dvf

[@RichardDayhoff]

Inspiring

[@AB.926]

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. So much for feminism and woman's empowerment!

[@pawe.cukier]

Cool

[@user-zd2ve6ry1k]

Why do doctors act as though they don't know when someone is asking for help they took everything away from me I will never forget them for not helping me in my recovery so people don't have a conscious to change things when they find someone with a good ♥

[@cheryldian]

Why is he looking like this?