Diane von Furstenberg Celebrates International Women’s Day at the Iconic House of DVF

Last Friday marked the beginning of International Women’s Month. To celebrate, Diane Von Furstenberg brought together a lineup of inspiring women for the designer’s annual International Women’s Day panel—a celebration of empowerment, female leadership, and the unstoppable force of women in today’s society.

Upon entry at the designer’s iconic Chelsea HQ, visitors ascended a crossword-adorned staircase and were greeted by DVF staff members decked out in matching jumpsuits and wrap dresses. As attendees settled into their seats, they were welcomed by host Catherine Cohen, who kicked off the event with an introduction highlighting the importance of taking charge—a recurring theme that falls within DVF’s empowering initiative InCharge. The afternoon was filled with captivating conversations, ranging from solo talks to fireside chats and panel discussions from influential figures such as Bumble founder Whitney Herd, CNN anchor Abby Phillip, The Meteor CEO Cindi Leive, and many more discussing topics that spanned from health and AI to inclusion and identity.

Attendees left the event with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration, and to close out the festivities, Harlem-based choir Sing Harlem performed their moving rendition of Andra Day’s “Rise Up” and Aretha Franklin’s "Respect," leaving the guests uplifted and energized for the cocktail hour that was to come.

But of course, Von Furstenberg also imparted her own words of wisdom to conclude the day. “We have to be true to ourselves. We have to know that kindness is a currency,” she said. “Generosity is the best investment. Every morning, every one of you can make a miracle by just connecting one person to a person they have never had the opportunity to meet. You will notice that we all have a magic wand, and the more you use your magic wand, the more powerful your magic wand is. And even though you can t really use it on yourself, if you use a magic wand, it comes back as a boomerang.”