Born Diane Simone Michelle Halfin, Diane von Furstenberg is considered to be one of the most successful fashion designers in the world, credited for introducing the wrap dress in 1972. Though she married a prince and attained the status of a royal in those days, her designs were mostly geared towards middle-class women and addressing their needs. She released her first collection in New York City in 1970, but had little experience producing clothing on a large scale so von Furstenberg opted to work for manufacturers first. In 1972, she opened her own manufacturing business with help from her father and her friend Richard Conrad.
Most of the designs she displayed in her Seventh Avenue showroom were variations of the pieces she released in her first collection. She did produce a new sweater dress though called Angela which was named after black activist Angela Davis. This sweater dress became popular but not as popular as the wrap dress that put von Furstenberg on the fashion world map. By mid-70s, the wrap dress had revolutionized how women wore clothing in America. It was versatile, comfortable enough to wear during the day for business and elegant enough to use as an evening gown. By 1976, five million wrap dresses had been sold.
Though wildly successful in her career, von Furstenberg's personal life took a hit, forcing her to divorce with her prince in 1983. She remained strong and moved to Europe to found the French-language publishing house Salvy. She also ventured into home shopping with her line Silk Assets. After finding moderate success, von Furstenberg moved back to the US in 1990 and settled in Connecticut.
In 1997, she re-launched Diane von Furstenberg, her fashion company, reintroducing the wrap dress to the modern woman. The re-launch was a success, with the company moving on to complete four collections a year and becoming available in more than 70 countries around the world. Some of the famous patrons of her works include the Duchess of Cambridge, Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna, and Kate Beckinsale.
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