Interview: Diane von Furstenburg

January 4, 2012

Stacey Makiya, Brie Thalmann, Photography by David Croxford, Kristen Hook,

honolulu shops

Legendary fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg recently stopped in Honolulu for the opening of her first Hawaii boutique. We sat down with the style star to talk Resort ’12, plumerias and her GapKids capsule collection.

Q: What made you decide to open a store in Honolulu, and how do you see the DVF line fitting into the Hawaii woman’s wardrobe?

DvF: I do well in international cities, and Honolulu is such an international city. I’m excited! I think it should fit in nicely because you love color and I’m all about color.

Q: Your Resort 2012 collection just hit the stores … what were some of the inspirations behind it?

DvF: It’s called Wrap Rhapsody. It was a little bit inspired by surf and at the same time rock and roll. It has a kind of cool, surfing, sporty sort of feeling.

Q: The DVF accessories line seems to be growing every year. What’s one of your must-have items?

DvF: Our Harper Connect bag (with Apple iPad pocket). It’s a beautiful bag. Because I’m addicted to my iPad, I thought wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way we could put our iPad in it so that when you’re at a restaurant you can open it and you can work.

Q: The DVF accessories line seems to be growing every year. What’s one of your must-have items?

Q: Can you tell us about your new eau de parfum, DIANE?

DvF: It will feel very familiar because the flower is frangipani, which you call plumeria. But to make it a little bit unexpected, I did it with violet. I wanted to do a classic—something that reminded young girls about the power of fragrance and that it’s been a weapon for women for centuries, and we shouldn’t forget it.

Q: What can you share with us about your upcoming GapKids capsule collection?

DvF: Oh, it’s so adorable. It’s very DVF. For the little girls, I did the wrap dress as a wrap romper. It’s just girls, although there are some T-shirts and other little things that will apply for boys. And the prints are vintage — I used ink spots and a lace (print). You better go really early because I think they’re going to sell out!

This article appears in the January 2012 issue of HONOLULU Magazine.