With the news that legendary
designer Dianne Von Furstenberg has collaborated with Google on their latest
glass project, at Luxe Models, we thought we’d honour the fashion trendsetter with a
salute to her signature piece – the wrap dress.
A Truly Admirable Woman: Diane Von Furstenberg
Diane Von Furstenberg is a pretty
inspirational figure as far as fashion designers go. Born in 1946 in Belgium,
to a Jewish mother who survived Auschwitz, she ended up marrying a Prince (who
gave her her now iconic last name), before divorcing him and making a name for
herself back in the seventies as one of fashion’s global brands.
That brand was built on the wrap.
It became her signature piece, one that has featured in practically every
collection since. It gave her name recognition, a seal of approval from famed
Vogue editor Dianna Vreeland and even landed her the cover of Newsweek magazine
in 1976, in place of American President Gerald Ford.
The History of the Wrap Dress
Whilst Furstenberg is often
credited as the creator of the wrap dress, she isn't. It was actually quite a common feature in
American sportswear and had been for years. However, Furstenberg is the one who
can genuinely be credited as the woman who took this staple of sportswear and
made it a fashion mainstay.
It wasn't that hard of a job
really, considering what she had to work with. It’s a funny little fact that
some of fashion’s most daring trends come from masculine origins – think of the
military coat that has become so pervasive in society you can’t walk down the
street without seeing one, or the boyfriend tee that graces the torso of every
‘non-mainstream’ celeb on TV). Therefore, it really was only a matter of time
before the wrap dress became a thing.
Why do Luxe Models Love the Wrap Dress?
For those readers out there who
aren't familiar with this sartorial mainstay, the wrap dress is a frock with a front
closure formed by one side wrapping across the other, with a fastening to secure
it in place. It’s a clear favourite in the celeb world, and is known to be a
favourite style of iconic First Lady Michelle Obama.
That’s because it’s timeless.
Elegant, classy and easy to wear, the wrap dress is perfect for the woman who
wants to exude demur glamour underlined by a sense of practicality. Considering
Michelle Obama’s position, it’s clear why the wrap dress would appeal to her.
That’s the best salute to the wrap dress Luxe Models could possibly give!
