Egon von Furstenberg Dies in Rome

Egon von Furstenberg, the Swiss-born aristocrat turned fashion designer, died in Rome on Friday, June 11, 2004. He was 57.

His fashion house said he died in a hospital in Rome but declined to give the cause of death.

He was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, the descendant of a noble German family on his father’s side. His mother, Clara, was the sister of Giovanni Agnelli, who until his death last year was head of Fiat.

His start in the clothing business was as a buyer for Macy’s. Early in his career, he designed clothes for women wearing large sizes and in 1975 he came out with a line of pullovers and men’s shirts.

During Rome’s High Fashion week, his designs were worn by models whose “runway” was the Spanish Steps. His creations included gowns or shorter dresses in bright hues like purples, yellows or reds, often with plunging necklines, slits or daring rear views.

“He cut an extremely elegant figure and brought an Old World feeling to the made-in-Italy label,” the designer Laura Biagiotti said. “He must have loved fashion because he certainly didn’t need to work.” He also put out a ready-to-wear line. But he was best known for his high fashion collections, especially his concentration on color and a romantic look.

He married the Belgian-born fashion designer and sometimes actress Diane von Furstenberg in 1969. They divorced in 1983.