Lets Focus on ... Diane Von Furstenberg

Diane Von Furstenberg needs no further introduction to the world's fashion scene. Known for her invention, the wraparound dress and her credo "Feel like a woman. Wear a dress", she have dressed almost all of the powerful yet influential women around the globe. Madonna and socialite/party girl and enterprenuer star Paris Hilton were seen wearing the same green print wraparound dress in different occasions (Madonna wore it during her speech in Israel while Paris wore it on a social occasion).

Diane Von Furstenberg was born as Diane Simone Michelle Halfin on December 31, 1945 in Brussels, Belgium to a middle-class Jewish family. She studied in the University of Geneva, Switzerland where she met her then husband, the Austro-Italian Prince Egon of Fürstenberg. After their marriage in 1969, the couple moved to New York City and divorced after the birth of their second child Tatiana (the first was Alexandre). She captured the imagination of the world's fashion savvy lot with her invention that is still worn until today, the wrap dress and her high-end line creation is sold at top-notch department stores in the United States such as Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf-Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue where it is still available till now.

It was the wrap dress that earned her the iconic status among fashion-conscious women and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) for her lifetime of consistent, creative influence over fashion. Today, Diane Von Furstenberg line spanned from ready-to-wear collection to fine jewels and beauty, retailed at its freestanding Diane Von Furstenberg stores in New York, London, Paris, Miami, Antwerp, Hong Kong and even Jakarta. For the Fall/Winter 2006 season, Diane is bringing the best out of the houndstooth and holiday plaids, not to forget her trademark wrap dress too. A new addition to her current repertoire is Diane was named by the Council of Fashion Designers of America to be its new president, effective from July 17th.

In a press release from the Council, CFDA Executive Director Steven Kolb said, "We are pleased to have as our president a person who is not only such a gifted designer, but has contributed so much to the cause of American fashion over the years. In Diane’s years on the board and involvement in the Executive Committee, she has displayed exemplary service and dedication to the CFDA and its members, and her active involvement in the growth of this organization over the years has helped to make it what it is today. I look forward to working with her as we meet our current goals and define new ones."

Diane Von Furstenberg's Fall/Winter 2006-07 Collection will be available in selected retailers and DVF shops from early September to October.

* Photos courtesy of Diane Von Furstenberg

Diane Von Furstenberg - TriBeCa, First Floor, Suria KLCC, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur / 583 Orchard Road, #01-18 Forum, Singapore 238884
DVF Shop - Plaza Indonesia L1Jl. M. H.Thamrin Kav 28-30, Jakarta, Indonesia 10350