DVF Speaks!

(NEW YORK) "Congratulations to Diane on her nomination. She will bring a dynamic presence and an exceptional breadth of experience to the position. I send her my best and look forward to working with her!" That was John Varvatos' reaction upon learning Diane von Furstenberg had been named the president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. "I think she's totally intelligent. She's got a high profile, and I think it'll be a good thing for the CFDA," Chaiken designer Jeff Mahshie added. "She's bright, gregarious, and has great resources." Coach president and executive creative director Reed Krakoff agreed, saying, "I think both were strong candidates, however at this time I think that Diane with her dynamic personality and significant global presence is the right choice to take the CFDA to the next level with Steven Kolb." But perhaps Tracy Reese put it best. "Stan's [Herman] tenure has been legendary. I am excited to see how the CFDA will continue to evolve under Diane Von Furstenberg's presidency. I am eager to work with someone of her innate style, and fashion business savvy." Here's what Diane had to say:

Take me through the motions...how did you find out that you won?
"Oh, finding out that I won was very easy. How I decided to run was, you know, because I couldn't really find anyone that I wanted that would do the job and I just thought maybe I could try. First of all, I made the time limit much shorter and then I thought maybe I will make a dynamic and it will be easier to find people after that."

Right...
"I didn't really want to lobby or anything. I wrote a letter to the Board, I spoke to a few members and then yesterday, Joseph and I each spoke about 10 minutes and then we waited in a room and then they came and told us."

And what was your initial reaction in the room when you found out?
"It was nice. I got up and I went to thank everybody. Now it's a matter of figuring out what the agenda is and I have a few months to put a program together and get the board to approve the program and then execute it."

I heard you went to see your dentist after you won yesterday.
"Yes! [laughing] I went to the dentist after that. But, I mean, it's a responsibility I am willing to assume and I hope that I will be deserving of the trust and the support that people have given me."

How did you prepare for the board meeting?
"Well, I have a strange way of preparing. For the last two three weeks it was in my mind and I was thinking about it when I went to bed, when I was in the shower, and when I was driving. I had decided not to write anything and then, of course, five minutes before I was to leave for the meeting I panicked and I went to my computer and I made a few points. I spoke about them ad lib but I had points so it was like having a road map to follow."

It's only been one day since you've won but can you give me a sense of what you think will be your biggest challenge as president?
"Well, I think the whole thing is a challenge because it's a lot of work, but I think that what I really would like to achieve is I would like to make the membership more exciting. I would like to increase the benefits for the members and I would like to create a very dynamic network center for designers to find work or projects or for companies to find designers. I mean, it's a trade organization and its supposed to help the designers of America so that's what I want to do."

And what about your relationships with Didier Grumbach of France's Chambre Syndicale and Mario Boselli of Italy's Camera Nazionale Della Moda?
"I know them both very well and I speak French and Italian and so I just want an increased work relationship with them. But we, as the CFDA, will be much better than them. We will be the best organization for designers."

Will you be spending more time working out of the CFDA's offices come October?
"No, no. I will work at my place [in the Meatpacking District] but I will go there occasionally and the staff will come to me. I mean, its not a matter of geography at this point; it's a matter of what you do."

Who did you want to be president if it wasn't you?
"I thought both Kenneth Cole and Calvin [Klein] would be great. There were a lot of people that I thought could do it, but anyway, now it's me and I'm going to do the best I can and then, hopefully, there will be plenty of people after me who are going to want the job."

There's been a lot of talk that with your name you'll bring a lot of glamour and this "jet-set" lifestyle to the CFDA. What's your reaction to that?
"Well, that's the gloss. I'm much more interested in the substance. And yes, I've been around for a long time so I have a lot of contacts but I also have a lot of contacts not because of my name but because of my reputation because people know me, they know they can trust me, and they know that when I get on something I am serious. I've stuck my neck [out there] by taking this job and I hope that I will show that I can do a great job.

I know you're very good friends with Anna Wintour. How big a role did she play in you becoming president?
"Anna is very committed to the CFDA and as the president of the CFDA I am very thankful that she is. She wanted me to be the president and I'm looking forward to working with her. But my responsibility again and again is to the designers.  My role is that I represent the designers of America."

Any words for Joseph Abboud?
"Joseph is a very nice man. He's very committed and he's very generous to the organization and I'm sure that I can count on him and I'm sure he will continue to be on the board and the committee."
JIM SHI