Diane von Furstenberg, the influential fashion designer who popularized the women’s wrap dress, will be the subject of a new documentary at Hulu.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the Oscar-winning filmmaker of the shorts “Saving Face” and “A Girl in the River,” is directing the film with Trish Dalton. A release date and title for the feature-length documentary will be announced at a later date.
Through archival footage and intimate interviews, the film takes a deep dive into the life and career of von Furstenberg, who forged a path for herself in a male-dominated industry and built a multi-million-dollar fashion empire. She was born in Belgium to Holocaust survivors and began designing women’s clothing around 1970, about a year after marrying Prince Egon von Fürstenberg, whom she divorced in 1983. She moved in 1969 to New York, where her company’s flagship boutique is still located. Von Furstenberg’s designs have been worn by everyone from Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton to Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna and Whitney Houston.
The official logline calls the now 76-year-old a “true legend” and says “through sheer determination, she overcame any challenge thrown her way, including sexism, the perils of immigrating to America, industry highs and lows, a public divorce and even a bout with cancer.”
“We feel strongly that Diane’s story of perseverance and global leadership needs to be shared now more than ever,” Obaid-Chinoy and Dalton said. “Over the last 50 years, she has fiercely triumphed, shattered glass ceilings and opened doors for women everywhere… all while living life on her own terms. We hope that this story inspires the next generation.”
Sutter Road Picture Company and Particle Projects will produce the doc. Additional producers include Fabiola Beracasa Beckman, Tracy Aftergood, Obaid-Chinoy and Sean Stuart.
In the past year, Hulu Originals has launched several docs, including the true-crime story “Captive Audience,” “Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons” and “God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty.” Hulu Originals’ documentary business is led by Belisa Balaban, the senior VP of documentaries and unscripted series, and Beth Osisek, the VP of documentaries.
