Karan, Donna

(1948- )

   Born in New York City, Karan was first hired by the designer Anne Klein and quickly fired. She was rehired two years later and upon the death of Anne Klein took over the reigns as head of design. Karan developed the concept of bridge sportswear and achieved quick success with the line called Anne Klein II. In 1984, she launched her own collection and again stimulated the fashion world with her easy day-to-evening dressing pieces. Thus gave birth to Donna Karan New York (DKNY), which also sold childrenswear, fragrances, menswear, and home products. DKNY was launched in 1989 and, while being more competitively priced than Donna Karan, also carried numerous licenses. The company went public in 2001 and was acquired by Moët Hennessey Louis Vuitton (LVMH).