Last night, the Municipal Art Society of New York, a non-profit devoted to bringing culture, beauty and "livability" to the city, awarded Diane Von Furstenburg the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Medal for her efforts to revitalize the Meatpacking district.
Since opening her flagship store on Washington Street in 2007 — and being followed by more recent retailers including Hugo Boss, Matthew Williamson, and Tory Burch — Furstenberg has remained a vocal advocate for area construction and development. She led support for construction of High Line Park, and regularly opens her studio space for cultural events.
The Chair of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, who presented the award, lauded the iconic designer's commitment to a part of town that didn't always evoke such trendy connotations.
"Diane von Furstenberg is one of the most ardent supporters of preservation I've known since I've been at the Landmark Preservation Commission," Tierney said. "Like Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Diane started a movement whose reverberations will continue to be felt throughout the city and around the world for generations to come."
