Diane Von Furstenberg on Aging

Diane Von Furstenberg became a sensation in the ’70s when she designed a “wrap dress” that was all the rage.  It seemed that every woman had to have the new dress.  It was so successful that she sold over a million wrap dresses at the time and she was put on the cover of Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal. The dress is included in the collection of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. After that, she became a fashion icon and a household name.  Her fashion empire is named DVF.

It all sounds wonderful but Diane Von Furstenberg didn’t have an easy beginning.  Her father sought refuge from the Nazis in Switzerland and her mother was captured by the Nazis.  Her mother was a prisoner at Auschwitz concentration camp but she survived.  Her mother’s experience affected Diane’s upbringing.  She had been imprisoned before Diane was born.  Her mother taught her that fear is not an option.  Her mother taught her to be strong.

Diane persevered in her life and her viewpoint on aging is a result of all of the ups and downs she has experienced in her life.  In 1994, she was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 47. Her doctor found a swollen gland on the right side of her neck. She had a biopsy and the doctor said it was benign.  She had the cyst removed and that’s when she found out it was squamous cell carcinoma that had already metastasized. She overcame the cancer.  Then, in 2011, she was involved in an accident that left her with a broken nose and fractured ribs.  

Like most people, there have been good and bad experiences. Diane has a good outlook on life.  She says that the most important relationship is with yourself.  She says, “Aging is out of your control. How you handle it, though, is in your hands.”  Now in her 70’s, Diane says that her face carries all of her memories.  She says she doesn’t feel the need for plastic surgery. When people look at her, they see confidence and a life well-lived.  She is a woman who embraces aging.