Diane von Furstenberg Visits St. Louis

Written by Courtney Scott / Photography by Suzy Gorman

The Saint Louis Fashion Fund (SLFF) in partnership with the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University - and a generous lead sponsorship from Caleres - brought legendary fashion designer, Diane von Furstenberg to St. Louis on October 12. Diane filled the day, meeting with many locals, fashion students, designers, and patrons of STLFF. Mayor Tishaura Jones also presented Diane with a proclamation declaring "Diane von Furstenberg Day in St. Louis."

The whirlwind day started with a trunk show of her designs at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAMSTL). There she enthusiastically met with shoppers and happily posed for pictures throughout the afternoon. She also enjoyed a tour of the artwork on display at CAMSTL.

Washington University hosted the "Conversation with Diane von Furstenberg" in front of a packed crowd at Graham Chapel. Derek Blasberg, St. Louis native and notable fashion journalist, served as the moderator for the discussion with his friend Diane. Blasberg curated the discussion by going through a timeline sequence of major moments in Diane’s life that spanned personal, professional, and philanthropic topics. She impressed the listeners with her wit and well-spoken candid reflection.

A memorable point in the discussion was when she shared she always knew she wanted to be “the woman in charge,” also stating that this phrase describes the type of woman she designs for, and that the phrase can have many interpretations of what “in charge” means. She also shared a story that she claims to have never shared before, which will be featured in her upcoming book.

Prior to the evening talk, Diane met with local fashion designers and reviewed selections of their work, including Audra Noyes, Anjali Kamra of Rungolee, Adam Foster, and Yolanda Nelson. After the talk at Graham Chapel, SLFF Patrons were invited to a cocktail reception at Whittemore House, where Imo's made a special delivery for Blasberg (his favorite square beyond compare)!

Saint Louis Fashion Fund is the leading voice and advocate for more than 800 fashion businesses representing a $3.3billion industry in St. Louis City and St. Louis County.

Derek Blasberg, Diane von Furstenburg, and Mayor Tishaaura Jones

Derek Blasberg, Mayor Tishaura Jones, Caleres CEO Diane Sullivan, Diane von Furstenberg, Washington University Chancellor Andrew Martin, and Susan Sherman

Diane von Furstenberg is presented with the SLFF award by Susan Sherman