Woman Before Fashion, Diane von Furstenberg
Diane von Furstenberg. Woman Before Fashion presents the work and the person of the famous Belgian-American fashion designer. Far from being a retrospective, the exhibition freely explores the highlights of her career in a more intimate way. The aim is to highlight Diane von Furstenberg as a designer in the «design» sense of the term, i.e. to think of a practical, aesthetic and easily reproducible object.
The Fashion & Lace Museum is hosting a tour through a new lens. It complements the numerous pre-existing writings devoted to our Belgian-American designer. Through a selection of more than 50 models and a vast iconography, the course of the exhibition takes as a starting point the fashion and ends on the woman. A mirror to the title of the exhibition. The first chapter is dedicated to an analytical presentation of the wrap dress. Designed by Diane, the iconic silhouette cut in printed jersey, is placed in a broader context.
The visit continues with her inspirations, from the prints that are a central point of her creative process, to the shapes she imagined. From a more documentary point of view, the third chapter deals with the designer’s arrival in the United States and The American Dream. This chapter also looks at the keys to her success. The journey ends with a focus on Diane von Furstenberg’s intimate relationship with women, from her designs to her philanthropic contribution.
Images courtesy of Musée du Costume et de la Dentelle. Photos by Emmanuel Laurent.