I WAS IN A CAR coming home from the airport in 2010 when Diane von Furstenberg called me and said, “Darling, the CFDA has nominated you.” And I’m like, “For what? I’m not a designer.” And she said, “The Fashion Icon Award. It was unanimous.” And I said, “Well, I’m honored.” Then automatically I was like, “What the hell am I going to wear?”
I knew I wanted something that would transcend time, that nobody could ever put a date on. I didn’t want a color, so if you look at a black-and-white picture it could have been 1950. It had to be couture and have a presence but feel timeless and iconic.
Giambattista [Valli] had sent me a couple of dresses for other events, and beautiful as they were,…
