Diane von Furstenberg, the fashion designer famous for inventing the wrap dress, has been the focus of an upcoming documentary called “Diane Von Furstenberg: Woman In Charge”. The designer spoke about the magic cultivation of her wrap dress, which debuted in America in 1974. Von Furstenberg described this period as a time where women pushed towards being taken seriously in the workplace and wanted flattering, office-appropriate attire. The designer also had her line of studio-produced wrap tops but it wasn’t until the Watergate scandal and seeing Julie Nixon Eisenhower, that she decided to create the wrap dress.
Madonna, Jerry Hall, generations of women and even Oprah Winfrey have all worn variations of Von Furstenberg’s famous fashion item. The designer’s story is about freedom, something Von Furstenberg has valued since she was young. American women during this time could not have a cheque book or credit card without a man co-signing. Von Furstenberg is regarded by Hilary Clinton as “one of the very first women who had really broken through the glass ceiling in business”.
Von Furstenberg’s mother survived World War Two concentration camps, and taught her daughter from a young age to be fearless. The designer has faced bankruptcy more than once but made a comeback by selling her dresses on the QVC shopping channel. Von Furstenberg believes her designs are still endearing to younger generations, with the wrap dress being rediscovered by new wearers.
The designer doesn’t seem to worry much about age, despite the industry’s obsession with it. She views age as “something we must embrace with pride”. Von Furstenberg’s mother always told her that her birth was a triumph of life and that she must honour life every day, which leaves the interviewer with a mantra to take away
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