Thanks to the magic of television, I’ve seen Rachel Zoe die after Diane von Furstenberg told her “she’d become the woman she’d always wanted to be,” and watched Whitney Port stare blankly as the fashion icon dished out invaluable career and relationship advice. Now, thanks to Teen Vogue’s Fashion University, I’ve heard DVF for myself.

As the program’s keynote speaker, Diane walked out to so many flashbulbs that she had to tell her overly-eager audience to cut it out and listen. Here are some highlights of her lively, inspirational speech.

1. She takes pride in understanding women. Diane believes that clothes should be like close friends: “When you’re standing in front of the closet in the morning, and you feel like shit, you should go for the reliable one that makes you feel good.”

2. She always has a camera with her. Her close-ups of leaves, bark, or anything else she finds beautiful in nature can end up a pattern in one of her collections.

3. One of Diane’s biggest inspirations is street style, and she loves to see a variety of real women wearing her dresses, whether it’s with pearls or combat boots. She decided in the late 1990’s to relaunch her wrap dress because she saw “hip, cool” girls on the street wearing her old dresses from vintage shops. Encouragement from the President of Saks Fifth Avenue didn’t hurt either.

4. Since she’s President of the CFDA, she tries not to play favorites, but cites some like Alexander Wang — who she mentors — and the Mulleavy sisters of Rodarte. Diane thinks Marlene Dietrich is the most stylish woman of all time, and she is inspired by greats such as YSL, Mademoiselle Chanel, Lanvin, and Issey Miyake.

5. Diane is getting ready to launch a line of sunglasses. She photographed the entire campaign by herself, and the model is her son’s fianceé.