‘The Prince’ came to Manila

In December 1980, “The Prince” came to Manila to launch his fashion line. Suits, shirts, sweaters, jewelry, leisure wear, cologne, eyeglasses. They were sold at Rustan’s, SM and Harrison Plaza. His fashion line was available in major cities of the world

Who was “The Prince”?

Wikipedia carried his biography.

“Prince Egon von Furstenberg (Eduard Egon Paul Giovanni Prinz zu Furstenberg; 29 June 1946 to 11 June 2004) was a socialite, banker, fashion and interior designer, and member of the German aristocratic family Furstenberg.

“In 1969, he married fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, with whom he had two children Prince Alexandre Egon (b. 25 January 1970) and Princess Tatiana Desiree (b. 16 February 1971). The couple separated in 1973 and divorced in 1983. The same year, he married Lynn Marshall (born ca. 1950), an American and a Mississippi native who was co-owner of a flower shop; the couple remained childless. Between his marriages, Egon also had a male partner: he was frank about his bisexuality and the openness of his first marriage.

“Furstenberg wrote two books on fashion and interior design (The Power Look, 1978, and The Power Look at Home: Decorating for Men, 1980) as well as opened an interior design firm. He died in Rome on 11 June 2004 of liver cancer deriving from an earlier hepatitis C infection. He was survived by his children and both wives.”

Prince Egon was on the cover of People, Dec. 21, 1980 issue.

Nena Villanueva, referred to with fondness by colleagues as “Belle of the Commonwealth Era,” wrote this piece titled: What’s a nice and good-looking royalty doing in the world of fashion? Excerpts from the Belle’s People article.

“He’s 34, but looks 28 and has the slim stance of a 20-year-old. Weighing 74 kilos well distributed in his 6’1” frame. Prince Egon von Furstenberg is a walking advertisement of his line of men’s wear now sweeping four continents, and of his book, ‘The Power Look,’ which ‘gives every man on the way up what he wants and needs.’

“Our appointment for interview was at nine in the morning at Egon’s suite at the Intercon. When he comes out of his room at 9:15, he is so apologetic over the delay. ‘I’ve had a hectic day, I came in at 2:30 in the morning from an inauguration of a club at Silahis Hotel and was awakened by a call from my bank in New York at 5:30.

“But he appears rested and he moves about briskly as he invites us for coffee. We are delighted by his uninhibited friendliness and amused by his slight German accent. Strikingly poised, he talks in a mellow voice and walks with unhurried grace, looking more like an Edmund Purdom kind of prince rather than a formidable member of royalty.” — RKC