Diane von Fürstenberg |Live

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a live Zoom webinar featuring Diane von Fürstenberg, the renowned Belgian fashion designer celebrated for her iconic wrap dresses. Despite my familiarity with her from previous interviews, my curiosity was piqued about how the pandemic had influenced her business and personal life. I was eager to learn more about her interactions with buyers and any shifts she had made in her sustainability initiatives in response to industry scrutiny.

During the interview, I was captivated by Diane von Fürstenberg's approach to the pandemic, which she had used as a catalyst for introspection and a deeper focus on personal relationships. Her emphasis on the significance of relationships in both our personal and professional spheres provided a refreshing perspective, especially in the fashion industry, where commercial aspects often take center stage. While I hold great admiration for André Leon Talley and his profound insights into the fashion business, von Fürstenberg's emphasis on relationships served as a poignant reminder of the human connections that underpin the success of all endeavors, whether personal or professional.

Fashion Note.19

Slow fashion refers to clothing that is produced in a more sustainable, fair, and superior quality, which is in direct contrast to fast fashion.

Clothing produced at a slower pace has less environmental impact. Despite its benefits, the slow fashion business model is not as financially lucrative as the fast fashion approach, since stores that carry fewer new items generate lower revenue.

To cope with the pressures associated with fast fashion, some designers have adopted a slow fashion production cycle. They opt for the traditional spring/summer and fall/winter collections, with the occasional resort-wear collection or collaboration to reduce the mental and physical stress of keeping up with fast fashion.

Slow fashion encourages individuals to buy fewer clothes by acknowledging we already own what we "need." The concept of slow fashion recognizes that refraining from shopping is not a viable solution to the fashion industry's problems. Instead, it promotes a move towards a more circular economy as the way forward.