DVF: a Cowboy Kind of Lady

When Diane von Furstenberg sat down with Andrew Goldman for her New York Times interview, the pair barely touched on fashion. Instead, DVF gave some choice morsels of advice, cowboy touch and all.

When I first started, my motivation was to be independent. [...] All I can tell you is that I’ve never met a woman who is not strong, but sometimes they don’t let it out. Then there’s a tragedy, and then all of a sudden that strength comes. My message is let the strength come out before the tragedy.

The lady is one powerful fashionista—and a strong woman as well:

Then I married a prince. So big deal, I married a prince! [...] The secret to a great marriage is having a great husband.

The heart wants what it wants.

I say that image of me driving the Mercedes and walking in [to Studio 54] alone is like a cowboy going to a saloon, you know? It was really a fantasy of mine, living a man’s life in a woman’s body.

But DVF seems to have awakened to her womanhood—the 66-year-old designer is still just getting started.

You don’t seduce in the same way at my age. You seduce with brains, with talent. Yesterday for lunch I met the most incredible 90-year-old woman. She survived Auschwitz, she was beautiful, she didn’t have white hair, she didn’t wear glasses. She was totally seductive. I just thought, Oh, my God, I still have time ahead of me.

You ain't seen nothing yet.