Diane von Furstenberg

DIANE von FURSTENBERG entered the world of American fashion when she arrived from Europe with a suitcase full of her dress designs. In 1974, she created the wrap dress, which came to symbolize power and independence for an entire generation of women. By 1976, she had sold over a million of the dresses and was featured on the cover of Newsweek. DVF is now a global luxury lifestyle brand, sold in over 55 countries, offering a full collection of ready-to-wear and accessories including shoes, handbags, small leather goods, scarves and jewelry. In 2005, von Furstenberg received the Lifetime Achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) for her impact on fashion, and one year later was elected the CFDA’s President. In this significant role, she has dedicated herself to fostering emerging talent and has grown the organization to over 500 members. In 2015, she was named chairman of the council.

Von Furstenberg’s commitment to empowering women is expressed not only through fashion, but also philanthropy and mentorship. She sits on the board of Vital Voices, a non-governmental organization that supports female leaders and entrepreneurs around the world. In 2010, with the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, she established the DVF Awards to honor and provide grants to women who have displayed leadership, strength and courage in their commitment to their causes. In 2014, she published a memoir, “The Woman I Wanted to Be,” which has been translated into five languages. In 2015, she was named one of the TIME 100 Most Influential People. With her corporate headquarters in New York’s Meatpacking District, von Furstenberg has long been a vocal member of the community and was actively involved in the campaign to save the historic High Line railway and to develop The High Line into what it is today. She also serves on the boards of the Statue of Liberty–Ellis Island Foundation and The Shed, the new center for artistic and cultural innovation in New York City. @dvf