Maria Shriver

Quick Take With...Diane von Furstenberg

By MariaShriver.com

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1.What are your three words to live by? Why do these words guide your life?

LOVE IS LIFE ! I try to have love guide everything that I do in my family and in my work. I have always believed that if you put that intention into the universe it will come back to you and you can make things happen!




2. What does being an "architect of change" mean to you?

It means to believe in something and to take action on behalf of that conviction. For me, it is all about empowering women through fashion, through mentoring and through philanthropy— so that they can become architects of change themselves. 




3. Who do you consider to be an Architect of Change in your life? Why?



My mother was a very important force in my life. She was a tiny woman and she looked fragile but she was strong. She was a Holocaust survivor, but she never let herself become a victim. Her determination gave me life and it shaped my life. She empowered me by making me accountable for myself and encouraging me to be independent. She never said “It’s impossible,” or “It’s too complicated.”



4. What's the most important lesson you've learned in life?



My mother always taught me that fear is not an option. And I think that was really important. I have lived by those words and I have taken risks that I might not have taken otherwise. Those words enabled me to be the woman I want to be.

Another important lesson and something I always say, is that the most important relationship you have is your relationship with yourself. You have to be your own best friend and you have to believe in yourself or no one else will.



5. What is one thing you are working on right now that you feel especially passionate about?

I began The DVF Awards in 2010 and we just celebrated our third year. I am so inspired by the women we have honored and by their stories. There are women all over the world doing the most incredible things and I am passionate about helping their voices to be heard. We are talking about true courage and heroism and I just love every year learning about these extraordinary women and encouraging them to keep doing what they are doing!

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Diane von Furstenberg first entered the fashion world in 1972, and by 1976 had designed and sold over a million of her iconic wrap dresses and was featured on the cover of Newsweek. Today, her global luxury lifestyle brand, DVF, is sold in over 70 countries worldwide, and has 45 freestanding shops. Diane’s commitment to empowering women is expressed not only through fashion but also philanthropy and mentorship. Through the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, Diane established the DVF Awards to honor and provide grants to women who have displayed leadership, strength and courage in their commitment to their causes. With all of her successes, Diane, a mother and grandmother, happily maintains, “Children are my greatest creation.”