Diane von Fürstenberg, Wrap Dress
USA, 2014
Tulle, sequined embroidery
Museum collection
Must Know
The iconic wrap dress is identified with Diane von Fürstenberg, who brought it back into
fashion in the 1970s under the slogan, “Feel like a woman – wear a dress.” The wrap dress,
which is easily put on and taken off, symbolized women’s liberation in von Fürstenberg’s
eyes.
Diane von Fürstenberg was born in Brussels to a Romanian-Jewish father and a mother who
was born to a Jewish family in Greece, survived the Holocaust, and inspired her daughter to
live a life of fearlessness. Von Fürstenberg birth name was Diane Simone Michele Halfin.
After marrying German Prince Egon von Fürstenberg, she decided that she must be
independent and develop her own career, so she began designing women’s clothing. After
moving to the United States, she created the brand that bears her name, became a cultural
and fashion icon, and played a significant part in New York’s bohemian scene.
