Once Princess, Now Queen Diane von Furstenberg: Leading Lady of the CFDA

This wrap dress queen was recently featured on MTV's The City for one of her many reality tv show collaborations. But she is more than a boss or a fashion critique. Much, much more.


Born on December 31, 1946 in Brussels, Belgium, DVF's real name was Diane Simone Michelle Halfin. Her Jewish middle class family consisted of her father was Leon Halfin who was Russian and served in WWII and her mother was Liliane Nahmias, a Greek Holocaust survivor.

She attended finishing schools in Switzerland, Spain and England. In 1965 she went to the University of Madrid and transferred the next year to the University of Geneva in Switzerland and studied economics. It was there that she met Austro-Italian Prince Egon von Furstenberg, heir to the Fiat automobile fortune. They got married in Paris July 16, 1969. When she realized she was to be married to him she decided she wanted a career and make something of herself and not just the girl who married up. Of course, for her wedding she wore her own design that was made by the house of Dior.

In 1969 she worked as an apprentice with Italian textile manufacturer Angelo Ferretti and began making his signature simple jersey dress .


Late 1969 the von Furstenbergs changed location and moved to New York City so the Prince could work on Wall Street. It was in New York that she was making samples out of her dining room of her Park Avenue apartment.


Her top cheerleaders Bill Blass, Kenny Lane, and Diana Vreeland encouraged her to put together a collection of her dresses. In April of 970 she had her first show at the Gotham Hotel in NYC within a moderate price range of 25-100 dollars.

In April of 1972 she established her own manufacturing business to make more clothing on a large scale. Richard Conrad and her father's $30,000 loan were the keys to Diane's first showroom on Seventh Avenue. It was there that she created her sweater dress named Angela after the black activist Angela Davis. She then birthed her wrap dress that topped $1 million dollars within the first few months. She was selling 20,000 wrap dresses per week.


Just as her career was taking off her marriage was dying. In 1975 her and the Prince separated and in 1983 they divorced and Diane kept their two children, Alexandre and Tatiana.



Her business only continued to grow after the split. She added more to her line such as furs, jewelry, shoes, scarves, sunglasses and the works, even house wears.

In 1977 she published her book Diane von Furstenberg's Book of Beauty.

Diane is much like our other business savvy designer, Liz Claiborne, in that she appealed to working women with her clothing. However her approach was to give them more luxurious clothing that would work for them during their work days. As if she wasn't already doing enough, she even included nurse uniforms and eye glasses which contributed to her $1 billion in sales in the 80's.


In 1985 she took an unexpected turn and moved to France to live with novelist Alain Elkann and founded a publishing house. 4 years later they broke up and she moved back to the US to her trusty farm in Connecticut that she lived in through her first marriage and break up.


In 1991 she made another book Beds and in 1993 The Bath for celebrity homes and bathrooms. Her commercial success only grew larger and larger with the years. In 1993 she also brought Lowel Nesbitts studio upon the death of the artist. The studio was famous for the figures and celebrities who once gathered there and even had a indoor swimming pool. She used this space until the early 2000's until it was sold and demolished.



She tapped into the home shopping network by marketing her dresses, furniture and other items on cable TV in the mid 90's. During her first segment, she sold $1.2 million in the first 2 hours.


In 1997 she published yet another book, this time a memoir " Diane: A signature Life." She also relaunched her clothing line this year and her wrap dress was once again warming the hearts of women everywhere.


In 2001 her love life caught up with her career and she married American media mogul Barry Diller, someone who had been off and on with since the 70's.



Award Center

• 2006 President of the CFDA
• 2005 CFDA life time achievement award
• 1986 May of the City of New York's Statue of Liberty Medal
• 1984- 1988 Savvy Magazine Award
• 1984 Einstein College of Medicine Spirit of Achievement Award
• 1983 City of Hope Spirit of Life Award
• 1977 Fragrance foundation award

More recently, actually from today, was the CFDA meeting held to discuss the future of fashion week. What was once a trade show is now becoming a burden for designers and their financially failing lines. It is costing them more then they are getting back and all the designers expressed their concerns to Diane, the president, in a town hall meeting style. Though no consensus was reached, Diane did reassure everyone that she will have a solution before she leaves office.


Well I think Diane is the B O M B D O T C O M because I mean who else do you know modeled a dress after a black activist ? I am honestly love everything she has done and I think she is a woman to emulate. She married up and decided that she wanted to work and be independent, how many times have you heard that. Usually woman take the lazy route when they marry royalty, but not Diane. I'm so loving her Bestey Johnson-esque, Lavin-like clothing. It is fun and well constructed. She knows what women want and she has been knowing that since the beginning of her career.

I am also impressed that she takes her business very seriously. For example she did not hesitate to sue Target and Forever 21 for copying her designs. She also speaks out against the unmentionables: underweight models and lack of diversity on the runways. Did I mention that she opens her studio regularly to host cultural events? Honestly, who could be a better role model ?


She is a woman who makes her own money, obtains her own success, stands up for what she believes in , and continues to grow as the years pass by and personally, I NEED to be like that. I'm also definitely not surprised that she is still making money through this recession, only the best of the best are. Her economics background, people-person personality, and eye for what women want are all factors that play into her success through out the years.

I am so impressed with her. That's the bottom line.


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Citations : 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,

Local Designer Gone Global: Zahra Saeed

Even though Zahra may be a local Philadelphia designer, I am quite positive you heard her name, or you will in the near future. Like Liz Claiborne, she too is a designer and a business woman. She believes that is what makes her stand out, and I think she is right.

On March 11,2009 she opened her first 1,800-square-foot clothing store at 1905 Walnut St selling only her merchandise. Her designs fuse Pakistan and American cultures to make an irresistible and well developed line. How irresistible, you ask? Well so much so that her first line EVER ( Fall 2009) was featured in Glamour Magazine, picked up by 26 boutiques in areas like London, Paris, and NYC, and her clothing is available in show rooms in LA and London.

Zahra is making her way through the fashion world on a different path than most up and coming designers. While others wait for deals from department stores and Boutiques, Zahra opened a boutique of her own. That is a huge investment. She got the start up money the old fashioned way, she saved. While the final price tag on her investment is unknown, she does disclose that it is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.


Recently, she has secured a loan from the bank in order to open two more boutiques, one in MD and another in Connecticut or Washington.

Her journey to becoming a designer and entrepreneur is also one for the books. She was the daughter of a wealthy Pakistani landowner and she was treated like a princess, she even had tailors that custom made the family's clothing. After her arranged marriage she moved to Canada to play the role of housewife. After having two kids and pretty mundane life, she and her husband split. She tried to find a job with no moral support from her family.

She landed a job as a loan officer and after only two months she secured her first mortgage and was promoted to Executive Vice President. In 2007 she began researching fashion and from there things began to move full force ahead. With no formal training she did a few sketches of her vision. She then found a pattern maker and sample makers on craigslist, bought a studio in PA and quit her job in April of 2007.

The industry was brutal to this new designer, she was rejected at every show room in NYC. But she did not give up. Which brings us to where she is today, in a fabulous Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia show room with a $6,000 chandelier hanging from the ceiling, ottomans all around, and clothing lining the walls that is affordable and diverse in its fabric and design.

Even if you were not able to make it to her store in Philly , not to worry, she has a shop online website up and running ( yes already) that is ready to take your order nation wide.


Her clothing is unique and I am sure that I can find nothing else like it even if I tried. In every piece I can see a little bit of her heart and soul. Not to mention she traveled around the world to Paris, London and Pakistan to find her fabrics.

This Moorsetown resident is on an express Acela train straight to the top and I won't be surprised if she is in the 2010 Bryant Park Fashion week Canoodling with Celebrities and Top Designers. Check out her store and website: 1905 Walnut Street, (877) 204-1131, www.zahrasaeed.com.

Also look at her look book here. I guarantee you are going to fall in love with the Fall 2009 line. I promise. As a matter of fact, Zahra, can I please do a pre-order on that cream coat my goodness. Below I going to post some of her pieces that I think are TDF ( to die for). If you don't already love her, you are about to.

($180.00)

($175)

($170)

($145)

($105)

($165)

($120.00)

Connaissez-vous Thierry Mugler ?!

Wow, I can't believe I have yet to write about this man whose styling has given Beyonce her futuristic and now trademark look. You see, I love Beyonce, so I absolutely love any designer that blesses her with costumes that would define her Sasha Fierce (and sometimes Beyonce) persona.

But honestly, have you ever seen a picture of this guy? I know I never have and when I was doing my research I nearly choked on my water. What designer do you know makes these kind of costumes ......


And looks like this.....


In his case, we definitely can not judge a book by its cover. But what we can judge Thierry by is his work, which is unique and truly artistic. Personally, when I look at his sketches and his designs I think of Picasso and his cubist (is that a word) paintings. His designs also add in a mixture of robotic characteristics, which in some circumstances could be unflattering for women, but Thierry knows what he is doing. He was so far ahead of his time when he began that not many could actually appreciate some of his best known work. His designs are what people in the 80's might have believed we would all be wearing in this time of 2009. Heck, I can't understand why we aren't all wearing his designs already on a daily basis.


Let's dig deeper into the life of this unsuspecting designer.


Born in 1948 in Strasbourg, France, Thierry Mugler had an inkling for fashion design all his life. Like Walter Baker, he started off on a different career path , but Theirry's was a little more unconventional. He trained in ballet while studying design and making clothing for his friends. He attended Lycée Fustel de Coulange, 1960-65, and the School of Fine Arts, Strasbourg, 1966-67.


He also designed on the side while he was a window designer in Paris in 1970. His first lime Cafe de Paris was not made until 1973. He made a woman's line in 1975, and a men's line in 1978. His runway garments were really extreme and exaggerated. Unfortunately , his fashion house did not last through the 90's. And in 2003 his couture collection was shut down.


Before his line was closed he managed to, in 1985, create the costumes for the musical "Emilie Jolie". He designed clothing that was hip with the times, bat winged shirts and lots of Lycra.

In 1998 he managed to be one of the few French designers to own his own factory and he was the first designer to create a virtual fashion show for the Internet.


He didn't let the collapse of his fashion line stop his creative genes. He went into business with a skincare company called Clarins to make fragrances, which Mugler's company is best known for today. Sometimes he even outsells Chanel No. 5 in France, how unimaginable is that? But honestly, I am def. sure all his money comes from perfume. Check out this list of fragrances( and I am not even sure it's the whole thing):

Angel	1992	Women	The first oriental gourmand fragrance[vague]; the #1 perfume in France and the #8 perfume in the US (according to NPD Research[vague])
A*Men	1996	Men	Known as "Angel Men" in US/Canada and Middle East due to trademark issues
Innocent	1998	Women	Known as "Angel Innocent" until 2004
Mugler Cologne	2001	Unisex	Inspired by a soap; contains proprietary "S-molecule"[vague]
B*Men	2004	Men	Currently[vague] being phased out of retail distribution
Angel Garden of Stars	2005-06	Women	Floral versions of Angel (peony, violet, lily, and rose)
Alien	2005	Women	First new Mugler women's fragrance not based on the Angel concept; modeled by Tina Baltzer
A*Men Summer Flash	2006	Men	Men's fragrance based on A*Men
Mugler Cologne Summer Flash	2006	Unisex	Adds a cooling ingredient to Mugler Cologne
Innocent Summer Flash	2006	Women	Women's fragrance based on Innocent
Innocent Secret	2006	Women	Made for Victoria's Secret stores
Perfume: The Coffret	2006	Unisex	Movie tie-in to Perfume: The Story of a Murderer; consists of 15 fragrances; price $700 US
ICE*Men	2007	Men	Faced by Greg Plitt; launched worldwide in April 2007 (March 2008 in US)
Eau de Star	2007	Women	Launched worldwide in April 2007 (October 2007 in US)
Miror Miror!	2007	Women	A line of five women's fragrances; limited distribution and priced higher than other Mugler products
Innocent Illusion	2008	Women	A flanker of Innocent
A*Men Pure Coffee	2008	Men	Flanker to A*Men with Arabica Coffee note
Angel Sunessence	2009	Women	Summer light version of Angel
Alien Sunessence	2009	Women	Summer light version of Alien

With his fragrance market success, he reopened his couture line in 2008, spear headed by Rosemary Rodriguez, even adding some eye glasses to his portfolio.


Outside of the consumer market, he has signed up with Cirque du Soleil in 2003 for its show "Zumanity" which is Cirque's first show for an adult audience. Good, don't let all those muscles go to waste !


He also published two books on his designs Thierry Mugler (1988) and Fashion Fetish Fantasy (1998).
, inspired by Stalinist propaganda ( hmm). He directed a video in 1992 for George Michael's Too Funky featuring Mugler's famous motorcycle dress.



Let's talk about his biggest venture here in the US-- collaborating with Beyonce to do all her costumes for the multi-million dollar I AM.. Tour. Beyonce chose him after viewing his designs in the Metropolitan Museum for the Art's Costume Institute Superheroes exhibit in May of 2008. ( Hmm I wonder if that inspired some of the songs on her album) Mugler will make 58 pieces for Beyonce, her dancers, and her band. However, he won't contribute all of her looks, she has to save room for her Dereon Line. He will serve as the creative advisor of the tour, designing some lighting and even choreography for her shows. Additionally he will direct three portions of the production, Dangerously in Love, Ave Maria, and The Finale. ( Let me just add, those were the best parts of the show, loved it! )


Thankfully, Mugler's fashion house has revived itself and come back in full effect. We can see his influences in many other designers line Balenciaga, Dolce and Gabbana and McQueen. However no one has managed to come close to his style. He is the only designer I know that can make an outfit which needs no one accessory. Not a hat, not an earring, not a bracelet, nothing. No wonder during the Beyonce concert all her jewelery was flying off, her Thierry Mugler outfits were simply rejecting them.


Thierry has done everything from design, dancing, photography, publishing, and made fragrances. He hasn't let anything stand in the line of his desires and dreams. We all need to take note from him, because even though his line did fail at one point it came back stronger than ever. Additionally, he didn't quit on life after that set back, but he moved on and kept the creative juices flowing. In recognition of his hard work and dedication Thierry Mugler was invited to sit on the Comite Colbert; thereby joining the top 75 French companies that share the passion for excellence, creativity, and luxury in the production of their merchandise.


However, his contributions to the fashion world have been amazing and untouchable. He has worked with the idea of shaping a perfect woman, not perfecting the shape of a woman, which is very different. His designs are well engineered and structured making them look anything but cheap or affordable. His strong, bold, and non conforming designs are unmatched in the industry today. Have you ever heard of a Thierry Mugler look a like/knock off? Yeah, me neither.


So Thierry, thanks for staying strong through all your struggles and obstacles. You have taught me that no matter how many things go wrong, so much more can go right if you stay focused. You also have earned my highest praise for your work on Beyonce's wardrobe and concert. You have totally revamped her look and her appeal and frankly I love it. You're the modern day Picasso if he designed clothing and I wouldn't want you in any other way.

p.s. How about coming out with a work out tape... I could def use some of your muscles!

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