Fashion Designer Diane von Furstenberg: Advice and Empowerment

Imagine being able to say you inspired a whole generation of women to take hold of their sexuality, that’s what fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg gets to own up to every day. Furstenberg is credited with designing the wrap dress, a dress that is continually being toyed with by designers and fashion labels the like because of its brute popularity. In a press conference meeting with Furstenberg hosted by HerCampus media, she goes over what she hopes readers take away from her book “Own It: The Secret to Life” along with sharing advice to those trying to enter the industry.

The most important thing she wants her readers to take away is to “own it”, whether that be in small life or career-defining things, making the best of situations is how people learn and improve. She talked about how her career wasn’t always a success, sometimes it went up, and sometimes it went down but, “you start and you start again…” Staying true to her image was very important to Furstenberg. Now she notes, “I know how to push the button to make the woman confident and I love that,” it was her biggest motivation when creating the wrap dress; to make the woman feel comfortable and powerful. 

Furstenberg also stressed the importance of kindness and vulnerability in the industry. She started off talking about a “magic wand” and how she uses her influence to connect others, which for some people can be a miracle, by doing these acts she powers her “magic wand” and “it becomes a boomerang” that more than often comes back to her. Being kind in the industry is important and respected. When talking about vulnerability she notes how her slogan “own it” is a “manifesto to be true to ourselves,” being vulnerable can actually be appealing because it shows we’re human and we may end up inspiring someone. 

As for advice, she noted that in life we are presented with various doors, and although sometimes the door presented isn’t the most luxurious we should still give it our best, whether it be something like an internship or a class. When she was asked about any advice she would give her younger self she answered, “go for it, I can’t give better advice than to just go for it” which is a lot easier said than done, however, there is no correct recipe, doing what feels the truest to ourselves is where we’ll find the most success. She notes that we have to envision what kind of life we want to experience, who would we like to meet, “then push the door and get in…be the first to arrive and the last to leave.”

Furstenberg’s key takeaways are to “own it,” be kind, vulnerable, and push forward. Hopefully, we witness her influence amongst other budding designers.

• advice
• design
• Diane von Furstenberg
• DVF
• fashion
• women
• wrap-dress