Few people understand wanderlust like Diane von Furstenberg: with trips to China, Paris, and Istanbul dotting her date book in recent months, her schedule might be a dream fulfilled for anyone who cannot resist the allure of new adventures.
“Nature photos become prints [in a collection],” she says. “An architectural detail becomes a handbag, a vegetable market a color palette.” Is it any wonder, then, that von Furstenberg’s Resort collection, which arrives at her boutique at The Shoppes at The Palazzo this month—you’ll also find it at her second Vegas location, at the Forum Shops at Caesars, when it opens its doors December 1—is a chic tribute to this particular passion? Although she didn’t stray far from home for its inspirations, spotlighting five US locales—Las Vegas, her Meatpacking District neighborhood in New York City, Miami, Memphis, and the state of California—to create a collection she dubbed Zoom. The frenetic nature of the word is intentional, to evoke the vision of a lightning-paced woman who loves to travel and needs the wardrobe demanded by such an on-the-go lifestyle.
True to the DNA of her brand, prints tell a major part of the story, such as the graphic black and white palms splashed across a minidress and matching jacket, accented with a tinge of Miami-friendly pink; for nights in Vegas, you’ll appreciate the effortless glam of a swingy sleeveless sheath in that same pink, its neck and low back trimmed with a flurry of ruffles. Even a Memphis-inspired black-lapel jacket would find a welcome home among the lights of the Strip. “Yes, that Graceland lapel jacket over a pair of flamingo-pink tuxedo pants,” she agrees, is “very Las Vegas.”
Over the past few seasons, von Furstenberg has been building her accessories business, and that’s reflected in some truly standout pieces in this Resort collection, such as the top-handled Lola tote. “My idea about accessories is that they should be utilitarian and also a little bit precious,” von Furstenberg says. “But just a little, because they need to work for your life.”
Von Furstenberg always has duality in mind: how a design will feel not only fresh but timeless and how that design might also inspire confidence in generations of women. It’s a philosophy that has changed little since she arrived in New York 42 years ago with a plan to be a designer, her suitcase filled to the brim with jersey dresses. That chapter of her life is now the stuff of fashion legend: how she chose independence and empowerment over the life of being a German princess and went on to create the iconic wrap dress, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2014. Today DVF is sold in more than 70 countries with 54 freestanding boutiques bearing her name, while the line has most recently grown to include a home collection and a signature fragrance called Diane, both of which debuted in 2011. “The most amazing thing about my brand, and to some degree me—though it’s weird for me to say it myself—is the ability to stay relevant for so long,” she says. “I sell attitude, and that is completely timeless.”
Steven Kolb, CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, works with von Furstenberg largely through her role as the organization’s president (a title she’s held since 2007) and believes her pragmatism is the reason for her success. “American design is a combination of creativity and commerce,” he says. “We’re not afraid to make money, and we’re not afraid to sell. If you’re going to create something so beautiful, but it lives in a closet somewhere and nobody gets to wear it or see it, what have you created? Nothing. Diane understands that.”
Indeed, von Furstenberg remains deeply involved in the message of her company: as she reads aloud from a press release she’s crafting, one can’t help but wonder just how much she is describing herself: “The DVF woman… is a powerful, strong, and confident woman who works and is engaged in the world. She shines, is free-spirited, playful, and bohemian; she has a little rock ’n’ roll in her, and she’s an uptown rebel.” She concedes, “Even if I am not all of those things anymore, it’s still inside of me. And yes, it is the life of my dreams.” The Shoppes at The Palazzo, 702-818-2294
