Legendary fashion designer, philanthropist, author, and founder of the global DVF brand, Diane von Fürstenberg, returned on Friday to her mother’s birthplace, Thessaloniki, where she was honored by the Deputy Ministry of Macedonia and Thrace.
Von Fürstenberg is an enduring symbol of female power and independence, particularly recognized for revolutionizing women’s wardrobes in the 1970s.
She is highly regarded in the fashion industry for her enduring creation: the wrap dress. This simple yet elegant garment became a global phenomenon, praised for empowering women by offering comfort, versatility, and confidence. Her ability to translate personal resilience into iconic, accessible fashion cemented her status as a titan of American design.
Von Fürstenberg’s return is deeply personal. Her mother, Liliane Nahmias, was born in Thessaloniki and was a survivor of the Nazi concentration camps.
The honor and the family legacy in Thessaloniki
The Belgian-born American designer received an honorary plaque from Konstantinos Gioulekas, Deputy Minister of the Interior for Macedonia and Thrace, which read:
“To Diane von Fürstenberg. As a token of deep appreciation for your creative spirit and multifaceted, inspiring work, Thessaloniki, the city where your mother was born, embraces you with love. Thessaloniki, October 2025.”
Gioulekas emphasized the designer’s connection to a “martyred family of Thessaloniki” and to her mother, who endured a journey “truly terrifying just to contemplate.”
Diane von Fürstenberg: Thessaloniki is a multicultural harmony
Diane von Fürstenberg, who was accompanied by her younger brother, highlighted the emotional nature of the visit:
“I am here today with my little brother to honor my mother’s birthplace. My mother was born here; her father was born here. When she left Thessaloniki, she was a small girl, but she remembered the food, the flowers, certain words.”
She revealed that she understands a few Greek words herself, including eleftheria (freedom), gyneka (woman), anthropos (person), kosmos (world), and Thessaloniki.
The designer shared a poignant family memory, linking her identity back to the city:
“I remembered as I was getting dressed today that, for my very first Carnival costume party, my mother dressed me as she used to dress. She made me a little girl’s costume from Thessaloniki. I actually still have the embroidered top of the outfit.”
Reflecting on Thessaloniki’s identity, von Fürstenberg drew a meaningful comparison:
“Thessaloniki is in Macedonia. In French, Macédoine means fruit salad. So, you have many fruits—Muslims, Armenians, Jews, Greeks—all together in one salad. Thessaloniki is a city of surprises; you see Mount Olympus, you see Roman ruins, you see Ottoman mansions. It is a city where everything is together.”
She underscored a powerful message of unity:
“It is very important that we promote harmony and that we promote the idea that we know how to live together. That is what I believe, and I believe you do too. That is what we are celebrating tonight. It is a great honor that you welcome me to my mother’s city. She was born exactly 100 years ago.”
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