THE 2026 DVF AWARDS IN VENICE
words by FELICITY CARTER
Diane von Furstenberg hosted the 17th annual DVF Awards in Venice, honouring Jane Fonda, Gisèle Pelicot, Mia Amor Mottley, Lynsey Addario and Wawira Njiru. Dedicated to Gloria Steinem, the night saw figures from fashion, film, politics and activism gather at Teatro Carlo Goldoni.
Venice in September has no shortage of famous faces, and amid the film premieres, parties and water taxis, Diane von Furstenberg welcomed guests to Teatro Carlo Goldoni last week for the 17th annual DVF Awards, honouring five women for their work across activism, politics, journalism, education and advocacy. This year’s honourees were actor and activist Jane 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.
Von Furstenberg and The Diller-von Furstenberg Family Foundation founded the awards in 2010 to recognise women working to improve the lives of other women. More than 80 women have since been honoured, including Nobel Peace Prize winners, politicians, Hollywood figures and grassroots activists, with each honouree receiving a grant for her non-profit organisation.
This year’s ceremony was dedicated to von Furstenberg’s close friend Gloria Steinem. “These women are the very best of humanity,” said the designer as she welcomed guests, before paying tribute to the feminist writer and activist. Fonda also spoke about Steinem while accepting her award, “Tonight is dedicated to Gloria Steinem...And I do believe that she lives on in the changed lives of so many women including my own.” Later, Fonda spoke about staying optimistic, “Hope is a muscle when you use it.” Addario, who has spent her career photographing war and humanitarian crises, used her speech to talk about the importance of journalism. “We cannot let the horrors around us become running statistics,” she said, calling for freedom of the press and describing journalism as one of the fundamental principles of democracy. Tina Brown introduced Addario, describing her as one of the world’s greatest photographers.
Pelicot dedicated her DVF Leadership Award to women who continue to study, work, care for those they love and rebuild their lives after suffering. “Courage can take many forms...It can be the courage to speak out. The courage to defend others. The courage to refuse injustice. The courage to pass on knowledge.” Njiru spoke about the children at the heart of Food4Education, the organisation she founded, while Mottley called for moral leadership and spoke for women who have no voice. Karlie Kloss presented Njiru’s award, while United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed spoke about Mottley’s work on vaccine access for small states and reparatory justice in the Caribbean.
There was plenty of fashion and culture in the room too with guests including Edward Enninful, Dries van Noten, Jürgen Teller, Karlie Kloss, Tina Brown, Anita Hill, Jewel, Huma Abedin Soros and Barry Diller, while singers Noa and Mira Awad performed during the ceremony. After the awards, guests headed to Moro Restaurant at Palazzo Franchetti for a suitable glamorous dinner, hosted in partnership with Casa Tua, which is due to open its Venice location at the historic palazzo in early 2027.
