DVF to bring operations in-house under new CEO

DVF founder Diane von Furstenberg and the brand’s chief executive officer Graziano de Boni have announced that the label’s operations are to be brought in-house again following four years of outsourcing under a Chinese firm.

The transition, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2024, will shift more responsibility onto de Boni, who had taken up the helm position of the 52-year-old brand back in October 2023.

He joined the company after setting up the Boni Consulting firm in 2018, a move that was preceded by various leadership roles at other luxury labels, such as Valentino, Prada and Armani.

On his appointment, de Boni, who oversees all aspects of the business, said in a release: “When I joined DVF 10 months ago, I was asked to develop a plan for the legacy of the brand.

“Immersing myself into the history of DVF, I found not only the iconic wrap dress that continues to sell after 50 years, but also the vast archive of prints and fabrics that revealed a unique and strong design vocabulary.”

Glamel to continue distributing to Greater China

De Boni added that he also felt the “authentic personal relationship multi-generational women have with DVF” was all relevant for “today’s digital-first landscape of retail and social media”.

He concluded: “Regaining control of the design and narrative of our brand was the first necessary step to reimagining our business model for the future.”

DVF has been under the direction of Chinese distributor and now former licensee Glamel, which managed the brand’s global business from the end of 2020.

While a partnership in this regard is to come to an end, Belgian designer von Furstenberg said that the relationship would continue through the distribution of the DVF brand in Greater China “for many years to come”.

Expanding on the latest news, von Furstenberg said: “Graziano has spent considerable time this year working with the product and focusing on building the brand strategy.

“To execute on this strategy, it was necessary that our operations return in-house. I am very excited to support Graziano’s leadership redesigning the company as he surrounds himself with talent that understands the zeitgeist of today and respects and appreciates the richness of the assets of the past.”