Diane von Furstenberg has been named President of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The designer will be taking over from Stan Herman, who held the position for 15 years. The selection procedure was a long and drawn-out process, whereby Von Furstenberg was pitted against designer Joseph Abboud. The 59-year-old Von Furstenberg - famous for her timeless print wrap dresses - will serve a two-year term, according to the new bylaws of the organisation. She said she hoped to transform it "so that people who are members of the CFDA are proud to be members". In her inaugural speech she said that she wanted her legacy to be the creation of "an incredible network service system." She added, "I would like to go to the mayor and see what he can do for us. Our mayor appreciates that the fashion business is a huge business, and I would like to see what we can do together. We will have to talk about the endowment, and overall, create more of a brand for the CFDA, which is something I know how to do." Von Furstenberg also plans to strengthen bonds with other fashion cities like Paris and Milan . "I want them to respect us," she said.