Donna Karan
Born in Forest Hills, NY in 1948, Karan attended Parsons School of Design in New York. During her second year at Parsons, she was employed in the summer as a sketcher at Anne Klein. Her temporary position was extended as a full time position and she remained at Anne Klein. In 1969, she was appointed as Klein’s successor.
Both Karan and Louis Del Olio became co-designers for the company after Klein’s death in 1974. In 1985, she left Anne Klein to produce her first collection under her own name. Using a mature palatte, Karan has provided women with chic and timeless pieces.
Karan can be considered the designer who has made it fashionable to be voluptuous. She has based her corporate philosophy on clothes that are designed to hug a woman but also hide bodily imperfections. Karan relates designing to herself and her role as a woman. She sees design as a personal expression of the many roles she had to balance in her life.
