Diane von Furstenberg watched as Jane Fonda opened up on a range of subjects from Hollywood mergers to toxic politics on Thursday in Venice, Italy and couldn’t help but notice something about the iconic actress and activist.
“You are so much stronger than you’ve ever been,” praised the fashion designer as Fonda came quickly with a reason for her steely spirit. “Well, I’m almost 90, and so it’s easier to be so. I’ve always been brave. I just didn’t always know what to be brave about until my mid-30s. It’s like resilience, you’re either born with it, or you’re not,” said Fonda, per reports in Variety, WWD and The Wrap.
The discussion happened on a busy Thursday in Venice for both women as von Furstenberg mounted her 17th annual DVF Awards, an event designed to spotlight “extraordinary women” and global changemakers dedicated to making the world a better place.
As such, von Furstenberg selected a roster of five honorees to fete: Fonda, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario, Food4Education founder and CEO Wawira Njiru and author, advocate and survivor Gisèle Pelicot. Held at Teatro Carlo Goldoni, the ceremony also featured media maven Tina Brown, model and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss and Anita Hill as presenters, with a performance by singers Noa and Mira Awad.
