Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
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" I DO FEEL LIKE A NEW ENGLAND PERSON. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE BEAUTY OF IT THAT MARRIES WELL WITH MY BACKGROUND." designer, her suitcase filled with a dozen jersey dresses. That chapter of her life is now the stuff of fashion legend: how, still married to Egon von Furstenberg, and pregnant with her first child (Alexandre, now 42), she chose independence and empowerment over the life of being a German princess. And through pieces such as that aforementioned wrap dress (which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2014), Diane von Furstenberg—the woman and the brand—ultimately played a key role in the celebration of female equality born at almost the same moment she stepped foot in Manhattan. "I really did live the American dream," she says. "I came here, and one, two, three, I was all over the place, a huge success very quickly." Indeed, von Furstenberg vaulted almost instantly to the stratosphere of the New York's social scene, one of that exclusive group who personified the high-wattage Studio 54 era. "You can't describe history while you're living it. Warhol painted me twice, I was photographed by Richard Avedon and Helmut Newton, but to me, they were all contemporaries," she says of the time. The path, she is quick to acknowledge, has not always been pristine—By 1985 von Furstenberg had sold off most of the business and moved to Paris to pursue other projects, but the lure of that dream again beckoned, and after discovering through a stint with Home Shopping Network that American women still wanted that sense of freedom and confidence von Furstenberg strives to inject into every design, she decided in 1997 that the time was right to re-launch her eponymous label. Today DVF is sold in more than 70 countries, with 54 boutiques bearing her name, while the line has most recently grown to include a home collection and a signature fragrance called "Diane," both of which debuted in 2011. "I joke that there have been three stages to my business: the first was to be financially independent, the second was to show myself and the world that the first wasn't an accident, and then the third is where we are now, a company I think of as an asset for my children and grandchildren," she says. "The most amazing thing about my brand, and to some degree me, though it's weird for me to say it myself, is the ability stay relevant for so long. I think a little bit of it is because I'm always interested in what's happening around me. But I'm still the same woman I always was: I felt confidence about myself, and I sell confidence. I sell attitude, and that is completely timeless." 106 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM Steven Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, works with von Furstenberg largely through her role as the organization's president (a title she's held since 2007) and believes her pragmatism to be a chief reason for her success. "American design is a combination of creativity and commerce; we're not afraid to make money, and we're not afraid to sell," he says. "If you're going to create something so beautiful and it lives in a closet somewhere, but nobody gets to wear it or see it, what have you created? Nothing. Diane understands that and celebrates creativity and commerce. There is an entrepreneurial spirit that exists in American fashion, and she really represents that. She's also a great American success story; she had an idea and was able to frame that idea around what she was looking for, how she felt a woman should dress, and she built an incredible American brand around it." Von Furstenberg also has used the success of that brand to raise awareness of women's issues, both through The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation (out of which she created the annual DVF Awards, bestowed each March at the United Nations) and such organizations as Vital Voices, which recognizes and assists those women who seek to make a difference largely through grassroots efforts all over the world. "I'm on the board of Vital Voices and devoted to the work they do," she says. "I feel very privileged that I can use my success and the fruits of my success to truly change people's lives; it really is the thing that brings me the most happiness. But everything I do in my life, it all works toward one goal: to empower women." Y ou can divine a bit of psychology from the way a designer takes his or her bow at a show's end—Carolina Herrera steps out only a few feet for a brief wave, while Michael Kors fairly jogs the course of his runway, often wearing a smile that borders on ebullience. Diane Von Furstenberg walks the length of her runway at a pace that seems equal parts confident, deliberate, and leisurely, stopping for a kiss from Diller or a bouquet of flowers from her grandchildren. And for the past four seasons, by her side has been Mispelaere, holding her hand. "That was a big challenge for me, to walk beside her," Mispelaere says. "I'm a little more shy than she is, but I'm getting used to it. Now it's a moment in which I feel very proud, and also a little protective of her. Emotionally it's a strong moment for me, and I think for her also. But my pace has gotten easier. I think she's empowered me in a way also." Von Furstenberg always has an eye on the future, it seems, but she is also a passionate believer that you're a product of your journey, and the woman who's been twice painted by Warhol and who through her designs played a role in the feminist movement of the 1970s, who went from being the wife of a German prince to a bona fide icon of fashion and female empowerment— well, she says she wouldn't change one second of it. "Many years have passed since I landed in New York, pregnant and with dresses to sell," she says. "A lot of life, a lot of ups and downs. I have lived fully and learned a lot, yet I am still the same person—the same love of life, curiosity, and desire to make things happen." And with that, von Furstenberg is off to China, eager to embrace another new adventure. BC