- Title: Diane von Furstenberg talks business, her famed wrap dress and AI at Davos
- Date: 22nd January 2025
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE - SEPTEMBER 8, 2013) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** MODEL NAOMI CAMPBELL LEADING OTHER MODELS ON CATWALK FOR FINALE OF DIANE VON FURSTENBERG SPRING-SUMMER 2014 FASHION SHOW MODELS WALKING IN FINALE VON FURSTENBERG GREETING AUDIENCE AT END OF SHOW SINGAPORE (FILE - MAY 14, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MODELS W
- Embargoed: 5th February 2025 13:28
- Keywords: DIANE VON FURSTENBERG FASHION WEF WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Europe,Fashion
- Reuters ID: LVA002512321012025RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg talked about reclaiming control of her eponymous label, her famed wrap dress and how she still reinvents herself at an event at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday (January 22).
Von Furstenberg last year took back control of DVF from Chinese licensee Glamel after four years. She founded the New York-based brand in 1972.
“After COVID, I had given the control of my business to my partner in China because we have 50 stores there and we just took it back," the Belgian-born designer said.
"So starting this month, we're back. I have a very good CEO, and I didn't really want to take it back, but it was losing its identity and so I had to do it.”
Von Furstenberg was speaking to journalist and filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who directed the 2024 documentary "Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge", which looks at the designer's life and career.
“What surprised me the most is really men have enjoyed watching (the documentary)," von Furstenberg said. "The word that comes out over and over is a word that I never use: ‘unapologetic’. And it fits me actually.”
Von Furstenberg, who chaired the Council of Fashion Designers of America from 2006 to 2019, also spoke about artificial intelligence.
"(Chat)GPT has become one of my very best friends because I realized that it's not about just asking questions, but you can debate with it," she said. "It's a whole other... future that's coming that everybody will have somehow this...shadow friend. So you better get used to it.”
Von Furstenberg, who said she is still reinventing herself at the age of 78, shot to fame with her wrap dress, which she first introduced in the 1970s.
"I made that little dress, but that little dress gave me confidence, gave me financial security and... because it was a dress, it gave confidence to a lot of other women," she said.
On Monday (January 20), von Furstenberg was honoured at the World Economic Forum with the Crystal Award in recognition of her philanthropy and championing of women's rights. She founded the DVF Awards honouring other women in 2010.
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