Diane von Furstenberg Shares Her Best Life Lessons Ahead of Her Documentary's Release: 'No Secrets' (Exclusive)
'Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge,’ which chronicles the designer's life, comes to Hulu on June 25
Designer Diane von Furstenberg's incredible life and career is explored in the new documentary Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge, dropping on Hulu June 25.
The fashion industry legend reflects on everything from her own "miracle" birth to the birth of her iconic wrap dress to how she stays grounded.
"It’s so important to be true to yourself, because if you are true to yourself, you are free," von Furstenberg tells PEOPLE in a powerful, wide-ranging sit-down.
Diane von Furstenberg is looking back at her trailblazing life in a new documentary.
In Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge, the fashion icon and cultural luminary opens up about her journey, from when her mother Lilane Haflin, a Holocaust survivor, gave birth to her 18 months after she was freed from Auschwitz (“a miracle”) to her philanthropic work now.
She’s also reflecting on her wrap dress, 50 years after the iconic design propelled her name into the spotlight.
“I didn't know that when I made that little dress that it was going to be a social phenomena,” she says, adding, “[But], I think that the wrap dress is successful because it's about body language. It's about honoring the woman and making [her] feel confident."
The film, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival June 5, was directed by Academy Award winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Trish Dalton, and produced by Fabiola Beracasa Beckman, Tracy Aftergood and Sean Stuart as well as Obaid-Chinoy and Dalton. It debuts June 25 on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ internationally.
“What is a day in my life?” the designer, 77, asks herself during an interview with PEOPLE one month before the documentary’s release. Then, she answers: “I have no idea.”
However, during the wide-ranging chat, von Furstenberg shares some acquired wisdom that helps keep her grounded.
To start, she practices gratitude.
“My first gratitude every day is that my mother survived the Holocaust,” von Furstenberg shares. “By surviving, she has a dynasty of seven on my side and five on my brother's side. [No one] would be there unless she had survived. So [that] gratitude has to do with honoring life,” she explains.
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von Furstenberg, who in the 1970s was often seen traversing the streets of New York City with a suitcase full of samples of her eponymous brand in hand, is still on the move today.
Although these days it looks a bit different. “Today, in Scotland, I walked [six miles]: I had a long hike this morning and a long hike this afternoon. I feel blessed that I’m able to enjoy nature. I love nature more than anything because it reminds you how small you are and how perfect it is,” says the author.
von Furstenberg also keeps a diary, the contents of which are “boring” she insists.
“I find that incredibly useful because I need that support,” the fashion icon and philanthropist shares. “It doesn’t matter what you write, I never read it. But it is a communication with yourself. It’s so important to be true to yourself, because if you are true to yourself, you are free.”
Lastly, the businesswoman tries to help someone else every day.
“I’m sharing my wisdom, knowledge, experiences and connections in order to help women be who they want to be,” she says of how she spends her days now.
“Every morning, I try to introduce one person to a person they would’ve never met. You don’t have to speak, you can just write a thoughtful email, and you can make a miracle happen,” adds the philanthropist, whose DVF Awards honor change-making women.
At 77, von Furstenberg says she’s “in the winter of my life.” But with a bucket list that includes writing more books, travel and continued work with Vital Voices, the co-chairwoman of DVF is keeping busy.
Related: First Look: Diane von Furstenberg Documentary Explores the Designer's Trailblazing 50-Year Career
Her joie de vivre, she maintains, is easy to achieve.
“I have no secrets,” she says. “It’s just: every day, all the time, live as fully and as honestly as you possibly can.”
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Watch Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge, a Sutter Road Picture Company and Particle Projects/Fabiola Beracasa Beckman Media production, on Hulu on June 25.
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