How much is Donna Karan worth?
| Net Worth: | $500 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Fashion Designer |
| Date of Birth: | October 2, 1948 |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | 1.73 m |
Longtime friend and Vogue’s Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour described Karan as “Donna has always been an unstoppable force of nature.”
About Donna Karan
Donna Karan is frequently referred to as a one-woman dynamo in the fashion industry, and her uptown New York stylish style is unquestionably her own. In 2004, the Council of Fashion Designers of America gave Karan the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Donna Ivy Faske was born on October 2nd, 1948 in Forest Hills, New York to a family that instilled a love of fashion in her from a young age. Her stepfather was a suit designer, and Donna’s mother was a showcase model who worked in Manhattan.
Karan quit school at the age of 14 because she yearned to work in New York City’s fashion industry and lied about her age to get a job at the boutique on Cedarhurst. While living in New York, Donna developed significant relationships that helped her gain admission to the prestigious New School at the Parsons School of Design.
Donna worked as a design intern for Anne Klein, a Seventh Avenue fashion designer who specialized in simple sportswear, over the summer while she was a student at Parsons. Donna left Parsons to take a full-time job at Anne Klein, but she was soon let off.
Karan met and wed her ex-husband Mark Karan during the following two years, during which time she also gave birth to her daughter Gaby. Later, Gaby would serve as the model for DKNY, a brand designed for younger ladies.
When Anne Klein passed away, Karan was appointed as her replacement. Shortly after Gaby was born, Donna was welcomed back to the company as a main designer. Working
During the most of the 1970s, Donna worked at Anne Klein with friend and fellow designer Louis Dell’Olio before being pushed out by the company’s investors. This worked out well for Karan because she soon started her own line.
Donna Karan would launch a new collection called “Donna Karan New York” in 1985 after leaving Anne Klein. Her renowned collection “Seven Easy Pieces” a system of clothing dubbed “modern clothes for modern people.” would be featured in the debut runway show of her new line.
Vogue would refer to Donna as the “queen of New York Zen” after praising her attention in “addressing the woman, rather just dressing her.” and her contemporary designs.
Donna was inspired to start wearing menswear by her new husband, the artist Stephen Weiss. Donna gave the makers of her debut perfume specific instructions to create a scent that smelled “like Casablanca lilies, red suede and the back of Stephen’s neck.” in 1992.
For the remainder of the 1980s, Donna produced the DKNY cheap young women’s clothing line, which was inspired by her daughter Gabby. This line served as the inspiration for her hugely popular Essentials line, which featured a number of chic, simple, mix-and-matchable basic pieces.
Her DKNY jeans and DKNY for Men denim lines made their debut in 1990. The DKNY range from Donna has expanded to feature a variety of accessories, jewelry, and cosmetics. By 1998, Karan had established two flagship locations, one in Manhattan and one on London’s Bond Street.
After purchasing Gabrielle Studio, which held Karan’s licenses, for $643 million, the French luxury behemoth LVMH acquired her main label DKNY for $250 million in cash in 2001. Karan consented to continue serving as the brand’s designer as part of the agreement.
Donna Karan took a chance on some unpaid promotion for her company by attending the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar Party wearing her own creation. She “rocked the flattering one-shoulder design with sleek, shiny shoulder-length waves, smoky eyes and a deep tan.” according to Stylebistro.com.
Following her contentious connection with the animal rights organization PETA, which started a full-scale campaign against her in 2008 for using fur in her collections, Karan is notorious for grabbing headlines. Following numerous PETA objections, Donna decided not to use any fur in her 2009 autumn collection. By 2010, Karan had resumed using fur in her collections and was receiving bad press when PETA nicknamed her the “Bunny Butcher” and called for a boycott of the designer’s goods.
Donna Karan said in 2015 that she will be leaving her position as CEO of her name-brand firm to concentrate on her lifestyle brand, Urban Zen, which she founded in 2007.
