Diane von Furstenberg is a fashion designer, philanthropist, author, and Founder and Chairwoman of the company that bears her name. In 1974, she created the iconic wrap dress, which became a symbol of power and independence for women and grew into a global brand. She has continued her legacy as a supporter and empowerer of emerging female leaders through her philanthropy. In 2010, with the Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation, Diane established the DVF Awards to honor and provide grants to women who have displayed leadership, strength, and courage in their commitment to their causes. In 2005, the CFDA awarded her a Lifetime Achievement Award and she went on to chair the council from 2006 to 2019. In 2015, she was named one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People, and in September of 2019, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame for her leadership and achievements which have changed the course of history. In 2020, France awarded her the Chevalier de la Légion D’Honneur and in 2021, she received the Commandeur de l'Ordre de la Couronne from her native Belgium. Her most recent recognition was in March of 2022 when she received the Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Woman of Leadership Award for her remarkable leadership and dedication to women. She currently serves on the boards of Vital Voices, and the CFDA and has written several books, including Diane: A Signature Life, The Woman I Wanted to Be, which was translated into 8 languages, and Own It: The Secret to Life. Most recently she was the subject of "Woman Before Fashion," a book that mirrors the 2023 exhibition dedicated to her life and career by the Fashion & Lace Museum in Brussels, Belgium. 

French Nicolas Lor was born in 1994.

His first research work on material and historical matters in fashion – textiles and fabrics – brought him to collaborate with the most famous luxury houses since 2013: Chloé, CHANEL, Maison Margiela and Christian Dior Couture. 

Between 2018 and 2021, Lor works as Fashion Archivist for the Christian Dior Couture house based in Paris. There, he continues to research and preserve rare pieces of fashion. 

He has participated in the worldwide acclaimed exhibition: Christian Dior. Designer of Dreams, curated by Florence Muller and Oriole Cullen, a project that was initially presented in Paris in 2017.

Since 2021, Lor holds the position of Head of Exhibitions & Publications at the Brussels Fashion & Lace Museum. He is in  is in charge of exhibitions’ themes, schedules and coordination as well as exhibitions curations. Here, he curated Woman Before Fashion. Diane von Furstenberg., the very first exhibition dedicated to the designer in Europe on the occasion of the printed jersey wrap dress 50th birthday as well as a related book in 2023. 

Lor is known for his research on Chinese costume and Chinese fashion design: he brought these two together for a first exhibition truly dedicated to the question of fashion in China: The new momentum – China contemporary fashion at the Shanghai Textile Museum in 2017 and its related book. His collaboration with China continued with the exhibition Future Fashion Spaces – Reimagined co-curated with Pooky Lee in Shenzhen as well as with the online exhibition Symbioses. 

Lor also wrote several papers for fashion and cultural journals or magazines such as Pièce détachée, Koï Magazine or TTT Magazine. 

Instagram @nikolalor

LinkedIn Nicolas Lor 

Jeff Karly Drouillard is a Haitian-American creative who wears many hats as a Creative Director, Designer, and Professor. With over a decade of experience in the fashion industry, his multifaceted creativity allows him to influence various facets of the fashion ecosystem.

As a Creative Director, Jeff Karly launched his own independent label, Unique Expozzure, while also collaborating with renowned brands such as Baron & Baron, Alice & Olivia, Coach, Zegna, and more.

Jeff Karly holds two Master's Degrees in Strategy Design and Fashion Management from Parsons School of Design. As an educator, he focuses on storytelling, AI application, customer engagement, social justice and entrepreneurship to students enrolled in the BFA Fashion Design, MPS Fashion Management, and MFA Fashion Design and Society programs at Parsons and Glasgow Caledonian New York College.

Jeff Karly’s designs have garnered recognition, as he was selected as a member of the CFDA's Future Graduate showcase in 2020 and Creatively class. He also actively contributes to shaping the fashion industry's future by sitting on The Fashion Policy Council and co-founded a mentorship program that addresses issues of access and diversity in college admissions, particularly impacting students of color.

His capstone work, "I am creative too: An Intersectional Approach to Understanding the Cost of Racism in Fashion", serves as an introduction to his commitment to driving change in the industry. His work has been acknowledged and featured by prestigious publications such as WWD, CFDA's Future Fashion Designer Showcase, Creatively, Vogue, 1Granary, Fashion United, and more.

Most recently, Jeff Karly served as the Creative Director for Parsons MFA Fashion Design & Society's NYFW Runway show and activation at the Brooklyn Museum.