FASHION QUOTE DONNA KARAN

Donna Karan was born into a fashion-oriented family in October 2, 1948, in Forest Hill, New York. Her real name is Donna Ivy Faske. Her father was a tailor and her mother was a model and a showroom representative in New York City’s garment district.

Donna Karan started her career at the age of 14 when she lied about her age and began to sell clothes in a boutique. Karen’s mother who was working for designer Chester Weinberg, recommended her to Parsons. She left the school in 1968 without graduation and became an assistance at Anne Klein. a sportswear designer. And around that time she married boutique owner Mark Karan, but the couple divorced in 1978.

At Anne Klein, she was promoted to associate designer in 1971. After Anne Klein’s death in 1974 because of breast cancer, she became head designer at Anne Klein. She remained until 1984. 

During her time in Anne Klein, she brought in Louis Dell’Olio, her former classmate and they became co-designers. The two were awarded the Coty American Fashion Critics Award in 1977 and 1981 and were later inducted into the Hall of Fame. Anne Klein Company took off with Donna Karen’s marketing of a “bridge” line and a less expensive designer collection—Anne Klein II—was debuted in 1983.

In 1984, Donna Karan used seed money from Tomio Taki, who owned a Japanese Textile company and a major partner of Anne Klein to launch her own company—Donna Karan Co.—with her second husband Stephan Weiss. The company diversified with its line of products and began to sell blue jeans, menswear, children’s wear, and added accessories, hosiery, perfume and a skin-care line. 

Donna Karan showed her first women’s clothing collection in 1985, initially offering seven casual pieces centered around the bodysuit which could be used as mix-and-match. Thus a fully integrated wardrobe with her First Collection was created in 1985. Because the line is more accessible and known as a ready-to-wear brand, the brand has been focused on democratizing fashion and making fashionable clothing more affordable to a wider range of people, the brand has never been considered as a luxury brand.

In 1996, Donna Karan took the company public, and five years later it was acquired by LVMH and she kept her control of the company and remained the chief designer. Donna Karan and DKNY brands were sold to LVMH in 2000 for $450 million.

It was in 2015, Donna Karan quitted as chief designer at Donna Karan International and to concentrate on her Urban Zen brand and Urban Zen Foundation philanthropy. LVMH sold Donna Karan International with the “Donna Karen” and “DKNY” brand to the G-III Apparel Group in 2016 for $650 million. It was a loss-making fashion brand.

Donna Karan is known as the Queen of Seventh Avenue. She built her easy, luxurious and womanly design and turned them to become a lifestyle brand. Donna Karan created capsule wardrobes and the diffusion DKNY line in 1989. She graduated from BFA Fashion Design from Parsons School of Design – The New School in 1987. It was in 2007, Donna Karan received an honorary doctorate from Parsons and was an honoree at the 2012 Parsons Benefit.

The brand is known for its mix-and-match clothing using soft fabrics and neutral colors. Its famous Seven Easy Pieces—a bodysuit, a tailored jacket, a cashmere sweater, a dress, a leather piece, a white shirt and a skirt—they can be mixed together and make them as beautiful outfits that can last the day from going to the office and for the date in the evening.