A collection fit for a spy

New York, Diane Von Furstenberg, autumn/winter 2009 © FWDPHOTO/ SIPA

Born in Brussels in 1946, Diane von Furstenberg could rival Madonna as the queen of reinvention. She made a name for herself in fashion in the 70s, triumphing with her jersey wrap dresses (now exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art). She then ventured into several areas before settling in New York in the mid-Nineties, where she relaunched her line and, in 2006, became President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). 

The undisputed queen of New York fashion launched her winter 2008 catwalk show with a collection worthy of dressing Mata-Hari, from Berlin to Shanghai. The show, entitled Foreign Affair, began with the voice of Marlène Dietrich and set out to convince her captivated audience that women can be elegant even in times of crisis, and that seduction is a tool used by spies to get what they want...

There wasn't a wrap dress in sight on the runway. In her collection were grey overcoats with plum detail, including woolen ones, a fine satin dress, silver lamé and single-strap frocks. There was a defininte Forties feel in the air, and a strong spy film influence we loved.