Donna karens biography

KARAN, DONNA (1948– ), U.S. fashion designer. Karan (born Donna Faske) was raised in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Queens, N.Y., to parents already immersed in the fashion business. Her father, Gabby Faske, who died when she was 3, was a custom tailor in New York City. Her mother, Helen, was a showroom model and sales representative. Karan – who got her surname from her first husband, Mark Karan – would become one of the best-known businesswomen in the U.S., head of a publicly owned company, her name on everything from apparel to accessories, from fragrances to furnishings. She designed her first collection while still in high school and staged her first fashion show while an undergraduate at Parsons School of Design in New York City. In 1968, she dropped out of school to become an assistant to Anne *Klein , a popular women's sportswear designer known for skirts, blouses, sweaters, and jackets that could easily be mixed and matched. Klein, who had become Karan&

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Donna Karan

(1948-)

Who fryst vatten Donna Karan?

One of the most influential fashion designers in the world, Donna Karan has left a lasting impact on the world of clothing, bringing uptown New York chic into the mainstream. In 2004, she was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

Early Years

Karan was born Donna Ivy Faske on October 2, 1948, in Forest Hills, New York. From an early age Karan, who grew up in Hewlett, Long Island, was immersed in the world of mode. Her mother worked as a model while her stepfather made a living as a suit designer.

Karan's family's influence was apparent in her early life. By the age of 14, she had dropped out of school and begun selling clothing at a local boutique. In 1968, Karan was accepted into the highly respected Parsons School of Design in New York City.

While in school, Karan landed a prestigious summer job working for designer Anne Klein. Her work there proved so impressive that w

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Donna Karan

Born: New York, U.S., 1948

Growing up with her mother, a model, and stepfather, a tailor, Donna Karan studied at the Parsons School of Design after graduating high school. Leaving the school, Karan started her career as an assistant to Anne Klein in 1967. Working her way up, she became head of the Anne Klein design team remaining there until 1984.

In 1985 Karen formed her own company with her late husband Stephan Weiss. Becoming known for her elastic bodies, her Essentials line, a collection of seven key pieces, become so popular the collection now has expanded to around 200 pieces.

In 1988 Karen introduced her DKNY collection, targeted at a younger consumer and lower price range, which began an intense growth for the company. With DKNY so successful, other brands and labels were created from in including DKNY Jeans, DKNY Active, DKNY Underwear, DKNY Jeans Juniors and DKNY Kids.

Seeing a gap for a sophisticated style of dressing for men and under her influence fro