Diane: A Signature Life (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "THE LIGHT IS BRIGHT, too bright, in the fitting room at Saks..." (more)
Key Phrases: cosmetics line, wrap dress, beauty business, New York, Fifth Avenue, Seventh Avenue (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 1973, Diane Von Furstenburg introduced her now famous wrap dress, an outfit she estimates has "found its way into almost every closet in America," becoming a cultural icon, symbolic of women's growing sexual and financial freedom. Five years later, in 1978, the market appeared to be saturated with the dress and the era of the wrap came to a close. Today, Von Furstenburg has updated and reissued the dress for a new generation; launched fragrance, cosmetics and couture companies; and ventured into the home-shopping business. She asks that this memoir "inspire those who read it," and certainly the determination and verve with which she has overcome each setback in her life?be it a business reversal, a love affair turned sour or a cancer diagnosis?might prove inspirational to some. But despite the fascinating raw materials of her life (the daughter of a Holocaust survivor, she married a German prince, becoming a jet-setting socialite/entrepreneur/mother/paramour), this autobiography offers far more glitz than grist for thought. She drops names and brand names so interchangeably that we know not only who the celebrities are who buy her clothes but when the author received her first Pucci shirt. When Von Furstenburg reflects on her philosophy of life?"to me, life is love is life is love. I put those words on a T-shirt once"?readers may suspect that the real purpose here is to sell apparel. And sell it will. Photos not seen by PW. First serial to Vogue.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Von Furstenberg looks back at 50.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (November 4, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684843838
• ISBN-13: 978-0684843834
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #560,916 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Diane Von Furstenberg is an inspiration., November 4, 1998

By A Customer

I'm not a follower of fashion or the society pages, but you don't have to be to love this book. It's a great business story, and a poignant look at an extraordinary woman's life. It has glamour, romance, sex, love, business triumphs and disappointments, motherhood, royalty, the Holocaust, cancer, literature, and more fresh starts than you can count. What a life.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not a bad read, September 14, 2007

By	N. Rai (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Yes, she came from a privileged background, and had many doors opened for her as a result, but definitely deserves all credit for what she made of those opportunities. She plays down the business side of herself, preferring to highlight the creative aspects of her personality, but underneath it all, she does seem to possess a sharp business sense and an intuition for how to best position and market her products. Also, the ability to constantly reinvent herself, and seek out new ideas comes through in the book. Her success story is inspiring.

On the negative side, there was too much name-dropping. Some parts were annoyingly elitist - I think she must have said at least half a dozen times in the book (or at least it seems that way) that her ex-husband was a prince whose bloodline descends from the roman empire (or some other empire, don't remember). Connections to royalty are mentioned in awestruck tones, which is grating on the nerve. There is also a lot of touting of her own achievements - admittedly the pride is well deserved, but some subtlety in talking about it would have been classier.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly inspiring book for women of all ages., November 13, 1998

By A Customer

Ms. Von Furstenberg has really opened-up to her public. She reveals much about the trials and tribulations of her past and present businesses, of being a princess and a socialite; an entrepreneur and a single-mother; and, all the while, a successful woman. She openly shares with her readers her feelings and insecurities, as well as her setbacks and triumphs. I think women around the globe can relate to, learn from, and find inspiration in her story.