The mastermind behind Zalando’s exciting new partnership …
The iconic Belgian designer chose Zalando as her exclusive distributor in Europe, featured alongside international models Grace Elizabeth, Arnelle Shaniqua, and mother-daughter duo Gaia and Cecile Orgeas. Diane discusses how she aims to inspire confidence in the next generation of female visionaries and game changers … and why wrap dresses will never go out of style.
You created the wrap dress 50 years ago: what makes it so timeless?
“Really, the wrap dress created me. It changed my life. It first started as a top, inspired by what ballerinas wear over their tutus. In French, it’s called ‘cache-coeur’ which means ‘hide the heart.’ And then it became a dress, called ‘portefeuille’ which means ‘wallet.’ And actually, that dress did fill my wallet!”
“The fabric is key because it molds your body and feels comfortable, making you look and feel good. It’s about the fabric, fit, and print. I’ve no idea why it’s been so successful. But every 20 years, the 20-year-olds rediscover it, often finding it in their mother’s or grandmother’s closet, and they make it hot again.”
“For decades, I’ve designed to make women feel confident. Zalando shares that vision, making them an ideal partner for reaching a new generation of women.”
A diverse catalogue of women have worn your designs over the years, from Madonna to Michelle Obama: wat’s the essence of the DVF woman?
“A woman gets dressed because she wants to project something. I remember Madonna wearing the wrap dress when she was introducing a book for children. Michelle wore it for her first Christmas card as First Lady. It’s interesting to see when people choose the wrap dress and how they wear it.”
“The funny thing about it is that someone once said, ‘It’s sexy enough to seduce and proper enough that his mother doesn’t mind’! There’s no one type of woman who wears DVF. For example, in one of my exhibitions there was a photo of Michelle and next to her was Amy Winehouse, two weeks before she passed.”
Is there a woman you’d love to dress?
“There’s no ‘one woman.’ I like to be surprised. It’s more about how people wear it and what it means to them. I want the dress to be a woman’s friend. You put it on and you feel great.”
You founded your brand during one of the richest cultural periods in history. How did the ’70s inspire your designs?
“We thought we invented everything! I arrived in New York and everything was possible. There were artists everywhere, happenings every night … it was fun. As a baby boomer, I sometimes feel guilty for the world that we have left behind.””
If you were launching your brand today, what would you do differently?
“It was never about launching a brand. My path to independence started when I worked for a man in Italy who developed this incredible fabric and had a printing plant. I began making dresses: T-shirt dresses at first, then a wrap top, then a wrap dress. Eventually, I came to America and tried to sell them. They became successful and, suddenly, I had a brand. It was never this big, strategic plan like, ‘I’m going to start a fashion house.’ It was just my name, and it grew from there.”
“I became a woman in charge because of a little dress that gave me confidence, which I shared with millions of women.”
What advice would you give to women to live their authentic selves?
“I realised that being in charge is not an aggressive statement. What it means is to commit to being true to yourself. And if you’re true to yourself, you own your imperfections. They become your assets. Your vulnerability becomes a strength. Now, I also realise that kindness is a currency, and that’s really important.”
What’s your biggest hope for the future of the fashion industry?
“The most important thing for the fashion industry is sustainability. I want to make things that people don’t throw away.”
For more information, visit www.zalando.ie; @zalando.
