Diane von Furstenberg, Sole Survivor

In an industry constantly tripping over its heels to find ‘new faces,’ the fashion icon revamps her brand (yet again) with a debut shoe collection.

Walk a mile in Diane von Furstenberg’s shoes. No, really. Try them on for size. It was just a matter of time before the consummate designer put her sole into footwear. Of this latest venture—and her decision to scrap the red Christian Louboutin treads on the catwalk—she explains, “My shoes are not just pretty accessories. Women on the go need shoes they can walk blocks in, that take them from day to night. They need power, comfort, and fashion.” Inspired by what she calls “comfy chic,” the collection runs the gamut from strappy heels to flat sandals (ranging from $195 to $400 per pair).

Since the creation of her timeless wrap dress—through her serial slaughter of celebrity paramours and her highly publicized marriage to media mogul Barry Diller—von Furstenberg has stayed faithful to her reputation as an assiduous tastemaker. In addition to her first full line of shoes, the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation recently donated some hefty coin to help save the historic Highline, an elevated railway that runs along the West Side of Manhattan. And with 22 freestanding boutiques worldwide as of early this year, the New York fashion maven continues her reign as President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Here, she takes time out to talk Warhol, sweatpants, and a man they call Comandante.

BLACKBOOK: Does a glamorous fashion icon of your caliber have a favorite outfit for bumming around the house?

DIANE VON FURSTENBERG: Is it clothes that make you glamorous? I don’t think so! Glamour is shine, glamour is having an aura, and that is not just about clothes or makeup—I am very often without makeup, and I always look for comfortable clothes. For me, it’s important to be who you are, or—even better—to be who you want to be.

Molto sandal with love knot, $265, from von Furstenberg’s new line.

BB: In 1976, Newsweek called you “the most marketable woman in fashion since Coco Chanel.” Mass appeal isn’t always something artists strive for.

DVF: Fashion is design, not art. Women inspire me and I design to inspire them. You can give great design and good value.

BB: You once referred to yourself as “a good seductress. A hunter.” What was your secret?

DVF: I loved the idea that because I was independent, I could live a man’s life in a woman’s body. Hunting is one of the privileges men have and I wanted to experiment with it. I was young and harmless. I may have seduced, but I never killed.

BB: You and Andy Warhol were fixtures at Studio 54. Tell us about that time.

DVF: Andy Warhol understood the new world, the world of brands and fame. He was a voyeur and he recorded his time. He was a quiet man, always taking photos or taping, but he was a great artist. Studio 54 was a wonderful pickup place, a special time, but it didn’t last long.

BB: Have you ever been especially star struck?

DVF: I remember being very excited about meeting Fidel Castro. I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with him and listen to him for hours. I had always admired him from afar. Well, after two days of listening to him, I stopped liking him.

BB: The fashion industry is notorious for favoring surface over substance. How do you spot a phony?

DVF: I believe in substance and I believe in people.

Photo of von Furstenberg courtesy of Patrick McMullan Company