DKNY facts for kids

DKNY is a cool fashion brand from New York City. It was started in 1984 by a designer named Donna Karan. This company makes all sorts of fashion items. These include clothes, shoes, bags, and even perfumes.

Many people wonder how to say the name. The company's marketing team says you can say it two ways. You can say "D-K-N-Y" (spelling out each letter). Or, you can say "DIKNY" (like "dick-nee").

The Story of DKNY

How Donna Karan Started Her Brand

Before starting DKNY, Donna Karan worked for another fashion company. She spent 15 years at Anne Klein. For 10 of those years, she was the main designer. In 1984, Donna and her husband, Stephan Weiss, got a big chance. The owner of Anne Klein offered them money to start their own business.

The company became a public company in 1996. This means people could buy parts of the company.

Changes in Ownership

In 2001, a large French company bought DKNY. This company is called LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy). It owns many famous luxury brands.

In 2015, Donna Karan decided to leave her role as chief designer. She wanted to focus on her other projects. These included her Urban Zen brand and a charity called the Urban Zen Foundation.

Then, in 2016, LVMH sold Donna Karan International. This sale included both the 'Donna Karan' and 'DKNY' brands. The new owner was the G-III Apparel Group. They bought the company for $650 million. G-III is also based in New York City. They make and sell clothes and accessories. They have their own brands, licensed brands, and brands they make for other companies.

Donna Karan New York: The Main Line

Seven Easy Pieces Collection

Donna Karan's first main fashion line was called Donna Karan New York. It is also known as Donna Karan Collection. This line started in the fall of 1985. Her first women's collection was called Seven Easy Pieces.

This idea was about having a few key clothing items. These items could be mixed and matched. This way, you could create many different outfits. These outfits would work for day or night. They would also be good for weekdays or weekends. And they would work from one season to the next.

In July 1991, Donna Karan also launched her first collection for men.

The "New York" Vibe

The "New York" part of the label is important. It shows the energy and style of the fashion house. It captures the fast pace and attitude of New York City.

DKNY and Other Fashion Lines

DKNY: A Younger, Cooler Brand

Donna Karan started DKNY in 1989. She was inspired by her daughter, Gaby. DKNY was made to be a younger and more affordable fashion line. It was created to go along with her main Donna Karan New York label.

Many other brands and labels grew from the original DKNY. These include DKNY Jeans, DKNY Active, and DKNY Underwear. There were also lines for younger people like DKNY Juniors and DKNY Kids. DKNY Pure was another line.

DKNY for Men

DKNY Men started in 1992. This line included many types of clothing for guys. It had tailored suits and dress clothes. It also offered formal wear and casual clothes. Sportswear and shoes were part of this collection too.

Beauty and Home Collections

The Donna Karan Beauty collection began in 1992. This collection focuses on perfumes and fragrances.

In 2001, Donna Karan also launched home collections. The Donna Karan Home collection has fancy bedding and accessories. DKNY Home has more modern and trendy bedding.

Famous Faces of DKNY

DKNY has worked with many famous people for its ads. They have used well-known photographers like Collier Schorr.

Many famous models have been the face of DKNY. Cara Delevingne was featured in many campaigns in the mid-2010s. Later, Emily Ratajkowski appeared in 2017. Most recently, Kaia Gerber was featured in 2024.

Where to Find DKNY Stores

Store Locations Around the World

DKNY opened stores in London in 1997. A store in New York City opened in 1999. The main office for DKNY is located at 550 Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, New York.

Today, there are about seventy Donna Karan and DKNY stores worldwide. Twenty of these stores are in China, including Hong Kong and Shanghai. There are two stores in Canada, in Vancouver, B.C. and Montreal. You can also find four stores in Dubai and two in Doha. The fashion house also has stores in Denmark.

Shopping Online

Since 2005, you can also shop for DKNY items online. Their website sells many different products. These include DKNY and DKNY Jeans clothes for women. They also sell accessories, underwear, and shoes. You can even find baby clothes and the PURE collection.

DKNY menswear was available online until the spring of 2002. After that, only DKNY Jeans, underwear, eyewear, and watches were sold online for men.

See also

In Spanish: DKNY para niños