Diane von Fürstenberg picks her favourite books by strong women
The influence of Diane von Fürstenberg extends beyond fashion and philanthropy. She has been a driving force in shaping the art industry for over four decades, a commitment she still maintains to this day. Her timeless designs, strong advocacy for women’s rights, and her belief in the strength and potential of women continue to make her a global icon.
Along with building her fashion empire, von Fürstenberg has remained committed to empowering women. In the early 1980s, she took a hiatus from the fashion industry and became involved with philanthropic work at the urging of her son, Alexandre von Fürstenberg. She has also worked with various charitable organisations, focusing on education, healthcare, and human rights.
The mogul has consistently advocated for equality, and in 2005, she established the DVF Awards, which recognises and provides grants to women who have displayed outstanding leadership, strength, and courage. She serves as the president of the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, working to promote and empower women in various aspects of their lives.
On the DVF website, a monthly book club is held designed to elevate the voices of female-identifying authors. Notably, von Fürstenberg herself took on the role of curating a reading list in celebration of the 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction, reflecting her deep commitment to championing women’s achievements and voices. As she eloquently expressed, “I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew the kind of woman I wanted to be.”
From Simone Veil to Gloria Steinem, von Fürstenberg’s book recommendations include the works of the most intellectual, empowered, and liberated women in all of history. For instance, Veil’s A Life taught von Fürstenberg a valuable lesson about appreciating being a woman. “She was in Auschwitz, and she was a survivor,” von Fürstenberg wrote on DVF. “I was raised by a mother who always told me that to be a woman was lucky; I wasn’t raised by a mother who felt overpowered by men. She always made me feel that it was such a privilege.”
Von Fürstenberg also names the works of Simone de Beauvoir as having a significant impact on her, along with My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem. “When I came to New York it was very much the time of sex liberation, and women’s lib,” von Fürstenberg writes. “The women who were my idols were Angela Davis, the Black Panthers, and Gloria Steinem, especially. What I loved about Gloria Steinem is that she was such an advocate for woman, yet she was a beautiful woman, and she was seductive.”
Von Fürstenberg also knows the power of speaking up about personal experiences and against misogyny, which is why she chooses Blowout by Rachel Maddow as one of her all-time favourites. “What I love about Rachel Maddow is she is angry,” she explains, “She’s an activist, she’s loud, and she’s not afraid. She’s angry in a very intelligent way – she proves a point, she does her research. And so the reason I chose this book is because activism is very important to fight inequality, abuse, and violence.”
Diane von Fürstenberg’s favourite books by strong women:
- A Life – Simone Veil
- The Second Sex – Simone de Beauvoir
- My Life on the Road – Gloria Steinem
- Caste – Isabel Wilkerson
- Blowout – Rachel Maddow
