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A Woman’s Quest to Be Someone of Her Own: Diane Von Furstenberg’s Journey

posted by ChickSpeak
Sunday, January 24, 2010 at 7:43pm CST

Diane Von Furstenberg once said, “I wanted to be someone of my own, and not just a plain little girl who got married beyond her desserts.” This goal of creating a career of her own outside of that of her husbands led to the creation of one of the most influential fashion lines of our time.

The Furstenberg label began with a mere $30,000 investment in 1970, when she introduced the knitted jersey wrap dress, now a standard seen at just about every women’s clothing store today. An example of one of her early dresses is seen here. One of the originals is actually on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, due to it’s obvious importance in understanding the fashions and cultures of our time.

Furstenberg’s line has always had one common thread throughout the years and different areas of commerce she has explored- a simple, effortless elegance, one that can only be claimed by slipping on a flowing, well-made, and flattering dress, or swiping on a new tube of red lipstick.

Furstenberg’s resume is diverse and impressive. She started a publishing house in France in 1985, created a cosmetics line and home shopping network in 1991, purchased the Nesbitt Art House in 1993, a haven for infamous artists and renowned individuals, and now operates DVF Studio, a women’s clothing company created in 1997. She also wrote a memoir of her life, entitled Diane: A Signature Life. The book can be purchased here. In 2005, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) recognized her influence on fashion and the world itself by honoring her with a lifetime achievement award.

But now this favorite designer that kept her Indie flair despite her infamy in design is embarking on a new project that has every woman clenching her seat with anticipation for sunshine. Furstenberg’s new line of eyewear, released under the DVF label, is inspired by retro shapes and designs from the 1970s, when she first began changing the way we see things.

“[Glasses] are a true friend, something very close to you that you need to see or read, something you can depend on,” Furstenberg said in a past interview.

The 25-piece-line features rose purple, and dark hued lenses framed in oversized ovals, squares, and rectangles, and topped with metallic, twisted embellishments or dark, knotted details intertwined into the sides of the frames. Many frames also feature geometric shapes in dark purples, pinks, reds, and more exotic, royal colors overlaying each other to create a frame that channels the bright pallets and twists of her original wrap dress. One all black pair featuring rectangular lenses is embellished with a hot pink kiss on either side of the frame- flirty, yet classy, a classic combination for DVF. To view the collection at DVF’s website, click here.

Furstenberg is a women who not only creates great clothes and accessories for women everywhere, she is an example of how successful a women really can be when she sets her mind to it. In an interview with Diane Sawyer, Furstenberg said, “I have yet to meet a woman who is not strong. They do not exist.”

Her faith in the strength and prominence of women in our time and society shows in her fashions and projects. Everything is bold, timeless, and elegant, but still commands attention (whether you want to give it or not!) Furstenberg decided when she was a married woman that, although she could just sit back and be a happy, contented housewife, she wanted more than that out of life. She wanted to make a name for herself, to inspire other women to make names for themselves. And let’s face it- it’s a lot easier to set out and chase your dreams with a pair of retro, red and black sunglasses perched on your ears, framing your new, powerful woman face.

The mystery that a pair of shades carries when they are first slipped on is one that can automatically make someone feel more confident, more attractive, and more secure. Glamour points go up exponentially in value when a pair of dark lenses shields the wearer’s eyes from others view, and Furstenberg’s line carries this essence in with a new twist of elegance and style.