Why the Diane von Furstenberg and Zalando partnership marks a new era for the iconic brand

In a fashion industry awash with creative director shakeups, there’s something deliciously comforting about Diane von Furstenberg. Inextricable from her namesake brand, which revels in art deco prints and patterns, the iconic Belgian designer has been unwaveringly true to her guts since she founded DvF in 1972. But that isn’t to say the brand doesn’t consistently evolve to remain utterly current. Case in point; this week, Zalando unveiled its new long-term collaboration with Diane von Furstenberg, which makes Zalando the exclusive retail partner for the the brand across Europe. The accompanying campaign finds von Furstenberg herself, looking radiant at 78 alongside a handful of supermodels.

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“This is a new era for my company,” says von Furstenberg, noting that in February of this year, she regained total control of her namesake brand, including “the product, the narrative and the distribution”. According to the designer, Zalando was the ideal partner with whom to enter this new chapter. “It’s a modern company with young founders, a young mindset, and a fantastic distribution model,” she says. “I think what we are going to do together is very exciting.”

For Lena-Sophie Roeper, the Vice President Designer at Zalando, partnering with DvF strikes a personal note; when she landed her very first big job at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York, her first major purchase was a Diane von Furstenberg dress. “It was a mix of something feminine, classic, it was an investment piece – at least in my early 20s – that’s business-appropriate,” she says. “It was the first conscious purchase into being a business woman.” Fast forward to joining Zalando and DvF was among the first brands Roeper ushered into the design department. To that end, this more strategic partnership – which Roeper teases will eventually lead to bespoke design pieces geared towards Zalando’s audience – is particularly special for her.

One cannot mention von Furstenberg without mentioning the jersey wrap dress, a garment that, over the years, has been worn by the likes of Michelle Obama, Madonna and recent Zalando campaign star Sarah Jessica Parker (both offscreen and as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City). “Yes, I did create the wrap dress. But really, the wrap dress created me – it changed my life,” says von Furstenberg, noting that its the alchemy of fabric, print and fit that make the dress the icon that it is. Still, she can’t quite put her finger on why the garment has stood the test of time. “Why has it been so successful? I have no idea!”, she says. "But every 20 years, the 20-year-olds rediscover it, often finding it in their mother’s or grandmother’s closet, and they make it hot again.” Today, the dress, which was introduced just over 50 years ago as a ballet-inspired top, is more relevant than ever; the enduring balletcore trend has made the figure-hugging wrap shape feel fresh once more.

According to Roeper, who has worked closely with von Furstenberg towards the launch of this collaboration, hanging out with the designer is everything one hopes it would be. “She’s incredibly approachable, she’s outspoken – she’s never shy to speak her mind,” she says. “There’s such richness of experience, culture, iconic personal stories – you’d be surprised what happened at Studio 54.” By way of juicy details, Roeper divulges that von Furstenberg once turned down none other than Mick Jagger. But most of all, Roeper was struck by von Furstenberg’s level of involvement in the collaboration. “She is genuinely engaged and wants to make this work,” says Roeper, noting that von Furstenberg travelled from New York to Zalando HQ in Berlin a handful of times throughout the preparation process. “And she’s not just telling us what she wants – she really wants to hear what we think and know about the next generation.”

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As von Furstenberg links up with Zalando, her beloved designs – including that indelible wrap dress – will undoubtedly be discovered by a new generation of tastemakers. Women who, like those who have been wearing her clothes since the 1970s, seek to feel confident and empowered. So what would von Furstenberg saying for a woman seeking that signature DvF confidence? “Be the woman you want to be. I wanted to be a woman in charge. I became a woman in charge, but then I realised that being in charge is not an aggressive statement. What it means is to commit to being true to yourself. And if you’re true to yourself, you own your imperfections – they become your assets. You own your vulnerability – it becomes a strength,” she says. "And now I also realise that kindness is a currency, and that is really, really important.”