October 6, 2014
In this captivating memoir, fashion powerhouse von Furstenberg (Diane: A Signature Life) thoughtfully reflects on her colorful life—and doesn’t skimp on the juicy details. Von Furstenberg begins movingly by writing of her need to please her mother, a concentration camp survivor, while growing up in Brussels. The book then moves on to her life as a jet-set princess and fledgling designer in New York City, her invention of the iconic jersey wrap dress in the early 1970s, and stories of her children, Alexandre and Tatiana. “My 30s were my best years,” she reflects. “I was still young but felt grown up, lived an adventurous life, raised my two children, and ran a business. The 40s were harder.” Von Furstenberg also details a love life that involved men like Richard Gere, Alain Elkann, and Mark Peploe, and admits how long it took for her to realize that now-husband Barry Diller, whom she met when she was 28 and he was 33, was her soulmate. She outlines her many positive contributions to the fashion industry, but admirably doesn’t sugarcoat business missteps like her efforts in beauty licensing. This is a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of the fashion world’s most enduring stars that will fascinate fashionistas and fans of strong, creative women. Agent: Andrew Wylie, Wylie Agency.
October 1, 2014
A jet-setter and trendsetter, Diane von Furstenberg was a multimillionaire before she turned 30, thanks to a little wrap dress that became a wardrobe staple for generations of women. She was once married to Belgian prince Egon von Furstenberg and is now the wife of media mogul Barry Diller, but her most enduring influence did not come from the royals and industry titans who were her contemporaries. What she learned most about life and love came from her Holocaust-survivor mother, a physically fragile but emotionally feisty woman who empowered her daughter to think and act independently. In a career that has spanned decades and earned her international recognition, von Furstenberg honors the guiding principles of ambition, altruism, and authenticity that have made her one of the world's most admired philanthropists and acclaimed entrepreneurs. Though laden with breathy celebrity name-dropping and glamorously hedonistic escapades, von Furstenberg's candid memoir contains hard-earned wisdom that she eagerly shares with women of all ages and backgrounds. A fascinating read for anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes world of contemporary fashion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)
October 15, 2014
High-fashion doyenne von Furstenberg (Diane: A Signature Life, 1998) celebrates a wellspring of wisdom and design inspiration. Addressing the core factors that made her who she is today, von Furstenberg, 67, shares how her familial roots, love life, celebrity and entrepreneurialism all played a part in molding her psyche. Greatly indebted to and influenced by her mother, a Nazi concentration camp survivor, the Belgium-born designer fondly describes her solitary childhood roots growing up in Brussels instilled with the initiative to explore, be free and exercise self-reliance. Her thoughts on love and those who influenced her middle years (especially marriages to Prince Eduard Egon and Barry Diller) reads like a sweeping romance novel, thanks in part to the men themselves but more due to von Furstenberg's penchant for dramatic, lavishly embellished prose. A bout with cancer in the mid-1990s perhaps enhanced her appreciation for a homeopathic lifestyle and a passion for nature, rearing her children and the experience of grandparenting. She also shares thoughts on youth, beauty, aging and the many rewarding moments throughout her decades in fashion merchandising. Von Furstenberg's global luxury-lifestyle empire's multitiered ascent, borne from the design of the iconic and timeless wrap dress, has crested somewhat, requiring a more recent rebranding and reidentification. In the final section, she braces herself for the compounded challenge of restoring her brand's luster and reigniting interest in DVF, including a comeback runway show featuring Google Glass. Though much of her autobiographical material can be found in her debut memoir, the fashionista digs deeper this time, swapping pages of name-dropping for introspective insights and sage advice, all while keeping her saga compelling and spicy. With humility and honesty, von Furstenberg's reflections on a life lived in the grandiose couture spotlight will delight both trendy, fashion-forward readers and budding designers eager to follow in her footsteps.
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October 15, 2013
Fashion maven for decades and purveyor of the famous wrap dress, Von Furstenberg is someone lots of women have wanted to be. Here she discusses her childhood in Brussels, her life jet-setting around, and more.
Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.