Nearly 50 Years of the Wrap Dress: How the Garment Became a Staple

Photo: Roger Prigent via: Los Angeles Magazine

This month marks nearly 50 years of the iconic wrap dress by designer Diane Von Furstenberg. The wrap dress is a v shaped neckline dress that wraps around the body and is secured with a tie around the waist. Today, the dress is seen everywhere in luxury and fast fashion sectors globally. Since its inception, the dress has been worn by countless celebrities and women and has become a famous staple in women’s fashion. 

Diane Von Furstenberg Spring 2016 Show Photo: VICTOR VIRGILE via: Refinery29

Shortly after arriving in New York, Diane Von Furstenberg started creating a prototype of the wrap dress in 1972 as a top and a skirt. In 1974, she formed the two piece set into the famous wrap dress, when she was only 26. The dress was made with soft jersey material that was comfortable and did not wrinkle. At the time, the designer was looking to create something unique that could change women's fashion for the future. The infamous designer said, “It started as a top and skirt. The top was inspired by the ones ballerinas wear over their tutus. I knew I wanted to make a simple little dress that would flatter a woman’s body, so I combined the wrap and skirt.” The dress was an instant hit with women with 25,000 dresses selling a week. 

Designer Diane Von Furstenberg is her creation Photo: Diane Von Furstenberg via: L’Officiel

The dress was timeless, worked for any time of day, could be dressed formally or casually and looks great on any body type. The dress came in specific flagship prints that are still sold today: Twigs, Cubes, Chainlink, Spring Leopard, Cube, Wild Flower, Python, Ibiza Quilt, Henlow, Stars and a graphic called ‘Signature.’ However, the designer has created up to 15,000 prints for the dress in her archives. The dress was first created as a midi dress, however, now the dress comes in various lengths and styles. It was a sporty yet sexy and simple dress that could be styled various different ways.

The Eloise Wrap Dress Photo: Diane Von Furstenberg via DVF

At the time, this dress became a symbol of the 70s women's liberation movement as a way for women to feel confident and be liberated through fashion and sexuality. Von Furstenberg designed her pieces with women in mind. She thought about the various day to day things that women do throughout the week. Von Furstenberg said, “The wrap dress is the most traditional form of dressing: it's like a robe, a kimono, a toga. It doesn't have buttons or zippers. What made it different was that it was jersey; it made every woman look like a feline.” 

Photo: Diane Von Furstenberg via: Twitter

She started her namesake brand shortly after the wrap dress was created in 1972 and the brand became known for its Ready-to-Wear collections and accessories. Of course, variations of the wrap dress are still being created by the brand today. It has made the DVF brand grow into an even bigger one and is a symbol of 1970s women’s fashion. Von Furstenberg understood the style of the modern woman when she created the wrap dress and enjoys what does. Her creation has influenced the fashion world even today and many other brands have created their own versions of the dress. Now, the dress has become a part of fashion history and is still sold by the brand today.