Dubbed the “Queen of Seventh Avenue” and the creator of capsule wardrobes, Donna Karan is celebrated as a fashion designer and entrepreneur, founder of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY brands. As one of the most influential clothing designers in the world, she transformed New York City’s urban chic into a global trend. Alongside the legendary Coco Chanel, Donna Karan reshaped women’s style and the way they present themselves in a fast-paced, success-driven world. Her brands also offer handbags, accessories, lingerie, eyewear, home linens, dinnerware, beauty products, and fragrances. Read more about this businesswoman on queenski.com.
The Start of Her Career
Donna Karan (née Donna Ivy Faske) was born on October 2, 1948, in Queens. Her mother was a model who worked in designer Chester Weinberg’s showroom, while her father was a tailor and haberdasher who passed away when Donna was three. Immersed in the fashion world from an early age due to her mother’s profession, she also grew up around her stepfather, who designed costumes for a living. In interviews, Karan often reflected that having a working mother, at a time when most women stayed home, instilled in her a desire for a traditional nuclear family. Meanwhile, her demanding stepfather cultivated her ambition to achieve success. This drive led her to enroll at the Parsons School of Design in New York in 1968.
In 1969, Karan left school to become an assistant to designer Anne Klein. By age 26, the Queens native—then married to her first husband, Mark Karan—was appointed head designer. Anne Klein was known for her authentic style and had established a brand initially focused on sportswear, later expanding into women’s apparel, jewelry, and accessories. Her success lay in her keen understanding of what American women wanted, focusing on universal, classic items rather than fleeting trends. After Klein’s death from cancer in 1974, Karan, with the help of Parsons colleague and designer Louis Dell’Olio, successfully led the brand, ensuring its continued prosperity.
Karan designed for career-driven women like herself. Her most significant contribution to Anne Klein was the creation of the Anne Klein II bridge line in 1982, which revolutionized women’s fashion design by focusing on the needs of New York City women and making fashion more affordable.
Founding Her Brands
In 1984, Donna Karan resigned from Anne Klein and, with her second husband, artist and sculptor Stephan Weiss, and Takihyo Corporation, launched her own brand, Donna Karan New York. A year later, she debuted her first women’s collection, Seven Easy Pieces, featuring seven versatile items that could be mixed and matched to create different looks for various occasions. A champion of the capsule wardrobe concept, Karan emphasized essentials such as a bodysuit, jacket, cashmere sweater, dress, white shirt, skirt, and leather item (often pants or a skirt). These staples allowed women to seamlessly transition from office attire to evening wear.
Karan’s following grew in 1988 with the launch of DKNY, a line of affordable sportswear. She later introduced DKNY Jeans, a collection of men’s denim clothing, and a signature fragrance, transforming her company into a lifestyle brand. Her husband, Stephan Weiss, contributed significantly to her success, collaborating on a men’s clothing collection. When developing her first fragrance, Weiss inspired Karan to request a scent that evoked “Casablanca lilies, red suede, and Stephan’s nape.” Weiss passed away from lung cancer in 2001, and Karan has since described him as her soulmate.
In 1993, the businesswoman opened a boutique in Hong Kong. In 2001, the French luxury conglomerate LVMH acquired Donna Karan International Inc., followed by a $650 million purchase by G-III Apparel Group in 2015. That same year, Karan stepped down as the company’s chairwoman to focus on Urban Zen, a luxury brand and philanthropic foundation she founded in 2007 in honor of Weiss. Urban Zen offers high-end products, including women’s clothing, jewelry, handbags, belts, scarves, home accessories, countertops, and furniture.
Combining Elegance with Functionality
Donna Karan quickly carved out her niche in fashion by designing luxurious yet practical clothing for women—a new type of glamorous modern urban uniform. Her designs gained popularity as more women pursued careers and needed versatile wardrobes. Unlike the maximalist styles of the early 1980s, Karan’s Donna Karan New York and DKNY collections featured foundational pieces suitable for both daily wear and special occasions. Her life’s mission became “designing modern clothes for modern people.”
Karan’s collections often blend synthetic materials like spandex with cashmere and leather. She emphasized the bodysuit as a wardrobe cornerstone that could pair with suits, casual wear, or evening attire. Her cold-shoulder dresses, featuring high necklines and open shoulders, became iconic. Inspired by New York City’s energy, Karan meticulously crafted her designs in cashmere and silk to invite clients into a world of urban luxury.
Her best collections reflect the Zen philosophy she embraced during her travels to the East, often expressing personal transformations and her affinity for blending Eastern and Western spirituality through the simplicity of all-encompassing black.
Global Recognition
Donna Karan has received numerous awards and accolades. In 2003, she became the first American to win the Fashion Group International Superstar Award. In 2004, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) honored her with the Lifetime Achievement Award, followed by additional accolades from the organization.
In 2007, Karan received an honorary doctorate from Parsons School of Design. In 2012, the school announced the Donna Karan Fashion Design and Society Scholarship Fund to support emerging talents in its master’s program. One of the school’s most dedicated alumni, Karan has invested significant time and resources into advancing fashion education. The Queens native and her company have also participated in events to support AIDS treatment and raise awareness about ovarian cancer, which claimed the life of one of Karan’s close friends.