Donna Karan

Donna Karan
Born	Donna Ivy Faske Template:Birth year and age Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Fashion designer
Known for	Creator of Donna Karan New York and DKNY apparel brands

Donna Karan ( ; originally named Donna Ivy Faske), frequently referred to as DK, is a prominent American fashion designer and the creator behind the Donna Karan New York and DKNY apparel brands.

Early life and education

Born in the Forest Hills area of Queens, New York City, Karan is the daughter of Helen "Queenie" Faske (née Rabinowitz) and Gabriel "Gabby" Faske (originally Faskowitz). She comes from a Jewish background. Her mother worked as a model and was employed in the showroom of designer Chester Weinberg, while her father was a tailor and haberdasher who passed away when Donna was just three years old.

Raised primarily by her mother in Woodmere, New York, Karan dedicated much of her high school experience to the art department. She completed her studies at Hewlett High School in 1966 before enrolling at Parsons School of Design within The New School.

Career

Following her graduation, Karan began working at Anne Klein, eventually taking charge of the design team until 1984, when she established her own label under her name.

Karan started as an assistant designer in the late 1960s and advanced to associate designer by 1971. After Klein’s death in 1974 and the company’s acquisition by Japan’s Takihyo Corporation, Karan along with Louis Dell'Olio assumed leadership as head designers. In 1984, together with her then-husband Stephan Weiss and Takihyo, she launched her own enterprise aimed at creating contemporary clothing for modern lifestyles, unveiling her inaugural women's collection in 1985.

She became widely known for her 'Essentials' collection—a set of seven adaptable garments centered around a bodysuit—that provided a cohesive wardrobe concept with her First Collection. Her designs often reflected what she personally preferred to wear, including jersey dresses and opaque Lycra tights.

In 1988, earning the nickname The Queen Of Seventh Avenue, Karan broadened her brand by introducing DKNY, a more accessible line catering to younger consumers. This expansion continued with DKNY Jeans in 1990 and DKNY for men in 1992, following the launch of the men's 'Signature' collection in 1991. That same year, she debuted the influential "cold shoulder" dress featuring distinctive shoulder cutouts.

Karan resigned as CEO in 1997 but continued serving as chairwoman and principal designer. After 2002, her hands-on involvement in design diminished. In 2008, she revived fragrance lines that had been discontinued during the 1990s.

In 2015, Karan announced her exit from leading the Donna Karan brand to concentrate on Urban Zen, a lifestyle label she had founded in 2007.

Awards

• 1977: Received the Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award
• 1982: Honored with the Coty Award alongside Louis Dell’Ollio for work with Anne Klein
• 1984: Entered into the Coty Hall of Fame
• 1986: Awarded a special CFDA distinction for pioneering complete head-to-toe styling
• 1992: Named CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year
• 1985, 1990, 1996: Earned CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year titles
• 1994: Received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement
• 2004: Honored with the CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2016: Presented with the CFDA Founders Award

Personal life

Donna Faske entered into marriage with Mark Karan in 1976; the couple had one daughter before divorcing in 1978. She wed artist Stephan Weiss in 1983, who subsequently served as co-CEO of Donna Karan International. Weiss succumbed to lung cancer in 2001.

External links

• Designer Donna Karan promotes craftwork of Haiti