Diane von Furstenberg

Diane von Furstenberg first arrived in the fashion world in 1972, and by 1976, had sold millions of her signature Wrap dress, coming to symbolize female power and freedom to an entire generation by encouraging women to “feel like a woman, wear a dress.” In 1997, after over a decade of a hiatus from fashion, Diane reemerged on the New York fashion scene with the relaunch of the Wrap dress, after learning that a new generation of hip, young women in their twenties was buying DVF dresses in vintage shops. Simultaneously, she established DVF Studio, a designer atelier on the edge of the meat-packing district in New York.

In the spring of 2001, Diane expanded the studio to include a performance space, which quickly became a center for creativity and a launch pad for young artists, and her first free-standing store, Diane von Furstenberg the Shop. Today, DVF has expanded to a full, comprehensive line of sportswear, dresses, swimwear, accessories, cosmetics, Diane von Furstenberg by H.Stern fine jewelry, luggage, and a partnership with The Rug Company. DVF is sold in the most exclusive retail stores in over 56 countries and, by January 2008, will have opened 22 free-standing Diane von Furstenberg boutiques worldwide in major cities including New York, Miami, LA, London, Paris, Antwerp, St. Tropez, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, Madrid, Moscow, and Brussels. Diane’s free-spirited independence and straightforward style has had such a profound impact on fashion that in June of 2005, Diane was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), and one year later, was elected the CFDA’s new president.Additionally, Diane sits on the Board of Directors for IAC and the Housatonic Valley Association (HVA), has partnered with the women’s Global Leadership Network Vital Voices, and played a major role—in association with The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation—in saving the historical Highline in New York City.