Diane Von Furstenberg: Woman Before Fashion

In lieu of publishing an exhibit catalogue, the team partnered with Rizzoli to publish a book mirroring the exhibition and giving a voice to the behind the scenes stories and the rise of the iconic wrap dress. Lor organized the book in three sections: The Dress, The Woman, and The American Dream. Each section includes interviews, stories, and quotes.

Anthony Petrillose, associate publisher of Rizzoli, provided background on the book and introduced the team. Lor, newly appointed to his role at the museum, brought his idea for the exhibit to Von Furstenberg, a Brussels native, during the pandemic. The two meticulously planned the show, which opened in April and will run through January 7, 2024. The exhibit features over 50 models illustrating the remarkable trajectory of Von Furstenberg’s career and the wide assortment of the colorful prints that helped to define her brand.

From her start as a receptionist to the inspiration behind her first designs to a fortuitous meeting with the famed Diana Vreeland, the book details the hard work, talent, and savvy decisions that launched Diane Von Furstenberg onto the fashion stage. And while her breakthrough moment may have been the iconic wrap dress, her accomplishments extend well beyond necklines and hemlines. “The dress made me,” she told the crowd at Rizzoli, noting that at the height of its success the brand was producing 25,000 dresses a week and she was featured on the cover of Time, Newsweek, and The Wall Street Journal.