Archive for July 21st, 2010
Diane von Furstenberg
She wore a black sheath dress, black and white leopard print cardigan, black slingbacks, and a gold bangle. So chic. In a panel of five, she was the only one who seemed to be completely at ease: putting on a cardigan when it was cold, fidgeting with the hem of her dress, zoning out when it was appropriate, and making naughty quips with raised eyebrows. (And her eyebrows are really striking to begin with!)
I love the way she talked, with very long drawn out words and elaborate hand gestures. English is not her first language, which gave her even more of a flair. While recounting the cultural richness of Vienna, she asked: “What is it, when people take too much drugs? Yes — Overdose! I felt like on Overdose!”
English is not my first language either, so I had thought “doyenne” meant an old lady who wears gaudy jewelry and orders people around. Not true. The one word that kept appearing in my mind while watching Ms. DVF interact with Prabal Gurung and Norma Kamali is “doyenne”. Clearly, she commands so much respect that everyone hung on her every naughty quip.
One of my favorite quotes of the night is when she spoke on her design for the New York Sidewalk Catwalk, which is an allover leopard print. ”It’s nice for women to feel feline, which is why I guess the leopards wear it.”
