Happy Birthday, DVF!
Diane von Fürstenberg (née Diane Simone Michelle Halfin) is a Belgian-American fashion designer best known for her iconic wrap dress design — a timeless staple in women’s fashion. Born on December 31, 1946 in Brussels, Diane was raised by Jewish parents who had just survived the Holocaust. Her father Leon was born in Moldova and escaped the Nazis in Switzerland. Her mother Lily was born in Greece and joined the resistance in Belgium, where she was eventually arrested. She survived 13 months in the Auschwitz and Ravensbrück concentration camps, and weighed a mere 49 lbs at the time of liberation. Against all odds, Lily gave birth just 18 months after the war. Her little girl was a miracle and would one day become a household name.
“I used to feel great admiration watching my mother get dressed to go out…she looked at herself in the mirror with a smile of confidence.” -DVF
Contributor: Jill Goltzer
