One of the most iconic dresses in fashion history is Diane von Fürstenbergs signature wrap dress. It is a dress which is suitable for every kind of body type and was designed in all types of patterns. This year the wrap dress turned fourty. But what’s the story behind the dress, what makes it special and where did it came from?
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Before Diane decided to create the wrap-dress 1974, she started two years previously with a cotton jersey shirt dress and a ballerina-style wrap dress which was originally a combination of a cache-coeur shirt with a skirt and these two pieces became one. The best thing about the dress is that it is very versatile: It’s proper and sexy at the same time, so its the dress the boyfriend likes and his mom doesn’t mind you wearing it.
The innovation behind it was that Diane used another fabric – nobody did dresses in printed jersey back then. When it comes to the design there is always a movement, but the body is kind of wrapped and men like it cause it’s easy to undress. When it developed it was something new – soft but tailored. It was on time. Right for this time period.
The interesting thing is that the dress even beacame a symbol of a woman: In Almodovars – “Under your skin” he used it as a character. So the dress became a strong, important meaning and until nowadays it is designed to empower woman.
“The Journey of a dress”
The 40th birthday of the iconic dress was the reason for celebrating it in an exhibition. It opened in Los Angeles in January and included portraits of Warhol and Helmut Newton. Diane talked to a russian friend Natalia Voidianova because she was opening a store in Russia and this friend made her develope her idea: During the 70 ies in Russia it was a completely different world and she said that it would be great for russian woman to see pictures from this decade from Andy Warhol and other people from this time. So that’s how this idea of organizing an exhibition was born. The first one was in Moscow, then in Sao Paolo, China and incorporated a lot of art and artists. The exhibition in LA was only about wrap dresses and was called “The Journey of a dress”!
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Some facts about the designer
When Diane looks back on her own career, she says that what you do at first is very often the essence and that you should open all the doors you can open! You have to just ask, be brave and ask for what you want to achieve.
Diane feels very blessed that she could become who she wanted to be, thats why she is empowering woman and trying to help where she can. One of the most important aspects in Dianes life is that in her opinion we should be aware of the ethical aspect and importance of creating something for generations.
When it comes to her career she mentiones that there are endless challenges and that You have to try to stay as close to the truth as possible! This means: stay true to who you are and to the market place. And always remember that it’s fun!
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Some facts about the dress:
While designing it Diane had in mind, that it has to be simple, sophisticated and that you can put it in your suitcase.
The ICONIC PRINT DESIGN:
Diane gets inspired by prints: To her they are everywhere! She takes pictures in the nature and they become prints. The movement, the colour and a great print remains a great print forever.
Interesting facts: Diane not only designs dresses: The Google Glasses from June 2014 have been designed by Diane von Fürstenberg. Here you can find more information about how fashion and technology met and collided for the first time: http://on.dvf.com/1FNBnwe
Credit: Net a porter and mytheresa