Diane von Furstenberg Talks Effortless Style As Her New KOP Boutique Opens Its Doors
By Marni Prichard Manko
Wrap Star
As her new boutique opens its doors, Diane von Furstenberg talks effortless style—And how she intends to conquer the city of brotherly love.
In the pantheon of fashion designers, no one has reached more prolific success and industry respect than Diane von Furstenberg (aka "DVF," as she's universally known).
From her first iconic wrap dress—more than one million were sold in the first two years of their debut in 1974—through her current gig at the lofty helm of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, the former princess is a woman's designer, creating pieces that are sexy and flattering to all shapes and sizes, not just living mannequins.
Among her devotees are a fair share of celebs and socialites who have made her a staple on the red carpet circuit, including Julia Roberts, Blake Lively, and Olivia Palermo.
Philly fashion seekers have been able to get their well-manicured hands on choice DVF pieces like the wrap dress at area department stores for years, but now they'll have 1,600 square feet dedicated solely to the designer, as the label just opened the doors to its new boutique in the King of Prussia Mall expansion.
"This is the brand's first store in Pennsylvania, so I'm excited to bring DVF to the Philadelphia woman and have a presence in such a beautiful, vibrant, and iconic city," says von Furstenberg. Shoppers can expect to find the designer's complete collection of ready-to-wear clothes with her signature stylings—think bold prints, '40s-inspired feminine glam, and disco hippie chic—plus a selection of hallmark accessories including handbags, shoes, scarves, jewelry, and eyewear.
The façade of the store takes inspiration from the cast-iron architecture of the DVF headquarters in New York's Meatpacking District, but the interior is uniquely King of Prussia, with a warmer and more tactile feeling created with a combo of wood, brass, raw metal, and lacquer finishing. And in a quest to make sure the clothes always suit the occasion, customers can adjust fitting room lighting to see what the garb looks like in different environments, such as home, office, daytime, dinner, sunset, and more.
"What we care about most is the woman, and we try to create an intimate experience," says von Furstenberg of the King of Prussia Mall location. "DVF celebrates freedom, empowers women, and sells confidence." To that end, the space will also host events and panel discussions with women from local businesses and universities to further the brand's mission of female empowerment.
"The DVF woman is confident and strong. She is in charge of her life; she knows the woman she wants to be and goes for it," von Furstenberg says. She's clearly leading by example.