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[Deepak Chopra] I'm Deepak Chopra, you're watching One World with Deepak Chopra, we're
coming to you from New York City at the NASDAQ building, Time Square. My very special guest
today is Diane von Furstenberg, and who hasn't heard the name. Major icon in the fashion
industry, had the privilege of knowing her for twenty years, or so.
[Diane von Furstenberg] No, just twenty years, exactly twenty years. In may, it will be twenty
years.
[DC] In may, it will be twenty. I wanna go back a little bit, and that we'll cover that
period, and then our present period. So you grew up in Europe, right?
[DvF] Yes, I was born in Belgium, and my mother is a survivor -- my mother when she was twenty,
she was a prisoner of war, she was in the concentration camp in Nazi Germany, in Auschwitz.
She stayed in the camps for thirteen months, and then it was the end of the war, and she
survived, and when she survived she weighed fifty nine pounds, so. She came back, and
then she married my father, and they told her that they should wait a few years before
having a baby because she couldn't do it, and the child would not be well, and of course
I was born immediately after.
[DC] Amazing. And then you came to the US, how old were you when came?
[DvF] Well, I went to, and then I went to boarding school, and I went to university,
I met my prince, I met Prince Egon Von Furstenberg, who became my boyfriend, then he became my
husband. He was living in America after university, so I came here. We had two children. I started
my company, and I live the American Dream.
[DC] And your company took off immediately.
[DvF] Yes, I was very lucky. As a young girl I actually did live an American Dream before
I was twenty-five. So that was fun. You lived an American Dream too.
[DC] But there was something special. You just don't end up here, and live the American
Dream. You had some unique contributions, right?
[DvF] Well, I didn't know...
[DC] Some signature things you did.
[DvF] I did not know that I had made a contribution. I mean, I -- you know, my goal at the time
was just to be independent because I had worked for in Italy for this man, who was a great
industrialist in the world, in the industry of fashion. I made a few samples in his factory,
and I came to America, and I sold it, and it was very simple, easy, nice little dress,
but they feel, they became something, and...
[DC] No but there was this famous wrap dress, right?
[DvF] Yes. It still is the wrap dress. We just celebrated -- this year we celebrated
its fortieth birthday, and it's still alive, and it's never happened to a dress before
to actually survive that long to so many generations of women. So listen, I made that dress, but
then, you know, it's funny because I took it for granted. You know, like you take for
granted your parents. I took it for granted even though it payed all my bills, it made
me famous, it made all everything. I took it for granted, and sometimes I even resented
it because I say, "But I do other things, not just the little wrap dress." And last
year, I decided that I was going to actually honor it, and the minute I decided to honor
it, I started to look at it in a completely different way. And we right now, we have an
exhibition since January at Lacma in California. It's actually in the old building ofMay Company,
which used to be an old department store, and we took the whole main floor, and we have
this incredible exhibition, which is the journey of the dress. And we've had so many visitors,
so now it's extended until May 1st. And so when I actually saw it all there, you know,
I was really proud, you know. The good thing about aging is that it means you have a past,
and if your past is something that you end up being proud of then it's good. So I'm liking
aging.
[DC]I think you were one of the first women on a national magazine cover, Newsweek, what
year was that?
[DvF] That was '76.
[DC] '76.
[DvF] It was thirty-eight years ago.
[DC] There had never been a woman, I think, on the cover.
[DvF] No? Yes. The movie star, yes. They put movie -- yeah, but maybe not a businesswoman.
But, I don't know. Anyway, that was a big deal at the time, yes.
[DC] As I walk through New York City, I see you on taxi cabs, your name everywhere now.
I mean, you're a household name, you've been a pioneer.
[DvF] Well, I've been around the block many times.
[DC] You've been around the blocks, and many people have followed you as somebody...
[DvF] But I think what is more interesting is that in a completely different way than
you, but what I think we both share is that we've actually touched many people. And I
have touched people, and I mean the stories I hear now. Everybody has a mother, daughter,
because those dresses were very -- they were like the dresses at the beginning of your
life, and they were beautiful and seductive and all of that, but they were not too expensive,
so it's a very democratic dress. So, everybody has a story. I mean, and we actually collect
the stories, and -- so it's very nice when you get older to see that you have made people
feel better about themselves, you've made them confident, and confidence is everything.
[DC] We have aged life good wine.
[DvF] I know we are the same age, and should we talk about how we met?
[DC] Yes, please.
[DvF] Alright. So twenty years ago, completely out of the blue, I was diagnosed -- well,
no I wasn't -- well, okay I was diagnosed with a cancer. I had a cancer in the base
of my tongue and my soft palette, and it was complete shock. I mean, I had never been sick,
and... It turns out now they discovers it's a virus, but anyway, so and I really didn't
know what to do, and my friend Sandy Gallan said to me, "I want you to meet Deepak Chopra."
And he explained to me that you were this amazing, you know, spiritual person who was
a doctor, all these wonderful things. And you happen to be in the East Coast that weekend,
I think you were speaking at New Haven, what's the -- Yale, or something like that. In any
case, I remember so clearly it was May I think, it was summer, and you drove with your little
car, you drove into he driveway.
[DC] I remember.
[DvF] Yeah. And we met, and we spent the afternoon together, and you taught me how to meditate,
which I do very badly, but nevertheless I do it. And you became my friend, and I went
to your...
[DC] Came to California.
[DvF] Yeah, I went to your center in California for a few days a week before the treatment.
And during the treatment, which was...
[DC] I kept in touch with your doctors.
[DvF] Ever single day. No, no but you called me every single day, and it was -- all I did
was radiation, but nevertheless, for seven or eight weeks, and you called me every single
day. And then, I came back after the treatment for another week, and you were extraordinary
because -- what can I tell you about Deepak Chopra? Deepak Chopra is probably one of the
most intelligent men I have ever met.
[DC] Oh my God!
[DvF] You are. You are truly one of the most intelligent man I've ever met. You have an
incredible talent with words, which is so important as we know because words are, have
a power on their own, and they have, you know. And no matter what, you can explain everything
in seven points. I mean I have never heard anyone say like, "Oh, it's seven points."
Or. "It's eight points." Everything is so synthesized in your mind.
[DC] Okay, we're done with me.
[DvF] No, no, no. I want to because this is a great opportunity. And I remember when I
was in your center, you and I would go on walks everyday, and you said the most intelligent
things, but of course, everything you said I thought, "Yeah, of course. It's so obvious,
I know that." You know? But you had the way of explaining it.
[DC] Well now, so many years later, we have a new science it's called epigenentics, which
means that our thoughts, our emotions, our personal relationships, everything that happens
that we call an experience, it actually changes the behavior of our genes. Our consciousness
is regulating the expression of our genes. It's taken all these years to get a science.
[DvF] I believe that. I mean what I discovered from my experience with the disease is that
I learned about how vulnerable, you know, you are, but you also learn how strong you
are. And it was an enriching experience.
[DC] And you never looked back. You were healthy ever since.
[DvF] Well, yeah, so far so good.
[DC] Done well. So where are you now with -- not only are you a pioneer in the fashion
industry, you are now the president of the Fashion Designers of America. What is the
Fashion Designers of America?
[DvF] Well, you know, when I had -- so lived this American Dream, then I was, you know,
I sold a company, and then I started again, and CFDA is this organization, who is the
family of designers, only designers are members, and we help each other as a family, and the
big one help the little ones, and you know, together united we are stronger. So, they
asked me to be on the board, and so I was happy, and then they asked me to be president,
and then I said, "Okay, I will do it for two years." And it's already been eight or something,
but it's good, it's fun, and it's exciting, and it's my trade, it's my peers, it's my
colleagues.
[DC] There's award ceremony coming up.
[DvF] In June, first monday in June.
[DC] You want to mention some people I thought.
[DvF] Oh, no, no, no. The awards that's coming up now tomorrow, this week is the DvF Awards.
[DC] Oh, the Diane von Furstenberg Awards.
[DvF] Yes. And those are awards that we created four-five years ago, financed by our foundation,
our family foundation, and we give the awards to five women, who have not only survived,
you know, survived, but also taken leadership, and we have -- we give the awards to two women
from the Vital Voice Organization, and then one is voted online, and then we give an inspirational
award and a lifetime award. The lifetime award this time we're giving to Gloria Steinem,
who has been leading us, and therefore she just turned eighty.
[DC] She's one of us.
[DvF] She's definitely one of us. I have given one to Oprah, I have given one to Senator
-- to Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, but then there's like, for example last year I
gave the award to this Indian woman who is -- she's a tiny woman, but she saves so many
lives, and she has centers in India because of children against *** violence. And these
women, you know, are so wow! They're so impressive.
[DC] Powerful.
[DvF] They humble you because they so so much, you know. So, you know, empowering women is
my cause.
[DC] And you're still very busy as a designer.
[DvF] Yes, I am much too busy. I mean this morning I woke up at three thirty, which is
why I look so bad.
[DC] You look wonderful, don't say you look bad. And you have grandchildren right?
[DvF] I have four grandchildren. My oldest is going to be fifteen Talita, then I have
Antonia, Tassilo, and the baby Leon named after my brother -- my father.
[DC] What's next? Is anything next down the line for you?
[DvF] Well, next down the line is try to enjoy, you know, we live right now we are the moment
of fulfillment of our lives, right? So if we're lucky it's early fall, you know. If
we're not so lucky, it'll be winter, but whatever it is, it's that time of the year.
[DC] We are in the autumn of our lives.
[DvF] And -- but as I said, you know, you look back, and you like what you see, and
you like what you've done, and you like the children you have made, and grandchildren,
and your friends, and you know what you were able to do with success, you know, because
I think the one thing is if you have any little bit of success, you can do so much for people,
you could give exposure to people, you can introduce this people -- this person to this
person, you don't even need to talk now. You can do it through email. So this -- there
is so much we can do, and so much we should do. And that's really what makes our life
rich.
[DC] You are very active in philanthropy.
[DvF] Well, I am active in everything. My husband thinks I'm too active. Too engaged.
[DC] Yes. And you're still designing, right? New products.
[DvF] I'm designing, I'm working, I'm actually, I'm worked harder now than I have ever worked.
This is the third part of my career. Now it's the legacy part, and so I have to make sure
that I carve in the whole thing because sometimes, you know, you loose yourself in the business
just like you loose yourself as a person, you know, and you forget who you are. And
the most important thing, well I don't have to tell you that, you know that, is the truth.
You see, I mean, it's all about keeping the truth, and -- but in order to stay true to
yourself, you have to do a lot of cleaning everyday, and a lot of...
[DC] You know, we've known each other for twenty years, but we don't meet often enough.
Why is that?
[DvF] I don't know. Because we are so busy, and because you're so engaged in your life,
and I'm so engaged in your life, and you never have time, you know, I mean, we should.
[DC] You've done some extraordinary launches for me in your beautiful studio in the city.
[DvF] Oh my God Deepak, I love you. I love you so much that's why I'm here today. I mean,
I love you because you are so special, and you're so -- really you are special, you have
a big hear and everything, but it's really how smart you are that's the most impressive,
it is. You are, you could be the smartest person I know.
[DC] Let's talk about a few other things. We're coming to the end of the show. So who
is Diane von Furstenberg? Who is she? Yeah, who are you?
[DvF] Who am I? I am my best friend.
[DC] What do you want now after having achieved so much?
[DvF] What I would like is I would like to leave everything in order, I like coherence,
everything, you know, to be coherent, so I'd like my -- to put my business in the hands
of, you know, it's like a child, so I want to -- I want my children to be happy, I want,
I just want to continue to be engaged as long as possible, and to love life and I'm fascinated
-- listen, even if I was, today it, there's so much going on in the world, even if you
can't move, it's so interesting, you know? So I hope I will be able to read forever.
[DC] What makes you feel happy these days?
[DvF] I just love life, but I always said...
[DC] You do love life.
[DvF] I love life, and I love...
[DC] You're passionate about life.
[DvF] I am passionate about life, yes I love...
[DC] You love art, you love...
[DvF] Yes, but I love when the sun rises, you know, I love the trees, I love nature
above anything I think. Nature is what is the most reassuring and fulfilling and beautiful,
and what is scary is that it's, you know, it's not in a good place what we're doing
to it.
[DC] It's not in a good place, but there are a lot of people...
[DvF] Are doing things.
[DC] Are doing things.
[DvF] You and I, you also, that's another thing we share, we're completely optimistic,
right?
[DC] Yes.
[DvF] No matter what happens, it's like, it's...
[DC] Look at the opportunity.
[DvF] That's right. That's what my mother taught me, she said, "You know, it doesn't
matter how dark it is, look for tiny little bit of light, and then build around the light."
[DC] You talked a little bit about legacy. So what's your legacy going to be?
[DvF] Well, my legacy is my children, my grandchildren and those genes I gave them, or what you know.
My legacy, hopefully, will be that I spent my life telling every woman to be the woman
they want to be. You know, that's what I tell my grandchildren, my granddaughters. I said,
"At night, you go to sleep, you say thank you, and start thinking about the woman you
want to be."
[DC] And when you started your career, women had no leadership role anywhere. Minor really.
[DvF] Right. Well, yes. I didn't realize quite that much because I was raised by my mother
who thought always that it was an advantage to be a woman, so I never really looked at
it, but I realize now that yes.
[DC] There are a lot of young women who want to be you.
[DvF] Yeah, but I also wanted to be me. I mean, you know, we all want the -- but the
point is just to take your life in charge, that's my message, right?
[DC] Yeah. You know, you mentioned your grandchildren, but you also mentioned your ancestors. I was
recently at a function with Tiknat Han, the Buddhist Monk, and he does calligraphy, and
as he was drawing a circle, he said, "I invite my father to draw this circle with me." He
said, "I invite my mother to draw this circle with me." And then he said, "I invite all
my ancestors to draw this circle with me because they're in my genes right now in every cell
of my body, and they're participating in the art that I'm expressing myself." You know,
and I immediately picked up the phone, and called Rudy Tanzi, who's the head of genetics
at Harvard, and I said, "Rudy, I just went through this extraordinary meditation that
we live on in our children as their genetic activity and expression in every moment in
what they say, what they speak, what they do." And so it's a huge responsibility in
many ways.
[DvF] But that's why it's so weird no? When you see children like that, and they move
like their grandparents, and maybe they never even met them. Yeah, it's -- that's why you
better like yourself because you're stuck with yourself forever.
[DC] Diane von Furstenberg, icon, great, powerful woman of our times, smilier...
[DvF] Friend.
[DC] Friend. And a visionary as well, and a mentor to so many people in the world. I'm
so grateful that you took some time to come and be on the show.
[DvF] I love you. [DC] I love you too.
[DvF] I love you you're the best. [DC] Okay, thank you