Diane von Furstenburg
Diane von Furstenburg
Diane von Furstenberg has a lot on her plate. Not only does she oversee operations for her namesake label, she’s also the president of the CFDA, and involved in charities all over the world. But for the last collection that bore her name, she didn’t just help create it, she helped inspire it. (Note: It was the last that Yvan Mispelaere would be involved with as Creative Director.) Taking from von Furstenburg’s own personal style, the collection recalled the past — namely DvF’s vie boheme — while still looking to the future. Models walked the runways with Google’s new Google Glass, freeing them from their technology just like DvF liberated ladies from staid sartorial slumps with her revolutionary wrap dress.
For the spring 2013 collection, Mispelaere drew on von Fursenberg’s travels, blending looks from the tropics — caftans, color blocking and pearl embroidery — with draped patterns recalling the bazaars of Morocco. Von Furstenberg has led a storied life, whether you shine the spotlight on her days as a Studio 54 regular or her Warhol period or the heyday of her fashion house, there are layers and layers of inspiration to draw from. And while there were only a handful of wrap dresses, they still walked the runway both solo or combined with cigarette pants in bright, poppy hues, looked as modern as they ever have.
Diane von Furstenburg Spring 2013
Sergey Brin, Diane von Furstenberg and Yvan Mispelaere
The collection also marked a collaboration with Google. Debuting their new Google Glass project, von Furstenberg wore the high-tech glasses for a week leading up to her show. The outcome? A behind the scenes view of her life that few have seen courtesy of the photos, video and more recorded by the glasses. By blending information with what viewers see through the lens, Google Glass blends reality with social media, real time tweets and information gathered from GPS and more. The show also featured models, including Karlie Kloss, wearing Glass, giving viewers a model’s-eye view that is usually overlooked during the frenzy of Fashion Week. Von Furstenberg is known for textile experimentation, often integrating artisanal craft techniques with high-tech fabrics such as neoprene and nylon, so it’s no surprise to see her experimenting with technology, too. After all, she’s the woman who designed a bag with a built-in iPad window so you can use your tablet without even removing it from your purse.
As she took her final bow with Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, and Mispelaere, the applause from the audience, which included Sarah Jessica Parker, Valentino Garavani, Oscar de la Renta and Franca Sozzani, was deafening. Who says you can’t teach an old designer new tricks? And with the announcement that DvF would be taking over complete creative control of her line, we’re looking forward to a slew of new tricks.
Here’s a peek at DvF’s Google Glass video — and expect to get on a waiting list for your own in 2014:
Photos courtesy Style.com, Architectural Digest and Diane von Furstenberg
