Loving to
design from an early age, Donna Karan is now one of the best fashion
designers in N.Y. Karan has been designing for over 25 years, working with
companies like Liz Claiborne and Anne Klein.
Donna Karan (Donna Faske) was born on October 2, 1948 in Forest Hills, New York. She grew up in Long Island with her step father, a tailor and her mother, a showroom model. Donna first started working in fashion as an intern for Liz Claiborne during the summer. In 1968 she began studying at the Parson’s The New School for Design in New York City and during the summer she worked for designer Anne Klein. Her work was so good that two year later she became an associate designer. At the age of 26 she became the head fashion designer at Anne Klein.
After Klein’s Death, Karan was paired with designer Louis Dell’Olio to design the new Anne Klein collection. After that line became a success, Karen made Anne Klein II, a new line, by herself. In 1985 she began her own fashion line, Donna Karan New York. The designs for the new collection were a big hit. The first collection was so good she was named designer of the year by the Council of Fashion. She launched the popular DKNY line of clothes in 1988.
Donna owns and is the chief executive of Donna Karan Company. She has stores world wide including DKNY on Madison Ave in New York City.
Donna Karan is married to Stephan Weiss, a sculptor and as a couple they had 3 children. Her husband helped her start her 1st fashion line. Stephan died in 2001.
Women around the world look up to Donna as a role model, not only because she is a great designer, but because she knows that in order to be successful you must take chances.
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