Donna Karan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Donna Karan
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Donna Karan in 2025
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Donna Ivy Faske
October 2, 1948 (age 76) New York City, U.S.
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| Alma mater | The New School |
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Label(s)
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Donna Karan |
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| Children | 2 |
Donna Karan (born Donna Ivy Faske), also known as DK, is a famous American fashion designer. She created the popular clothing brands Donna Karan New York and DKNY.
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Early Life and Education
Donna Karan was born on October 2, 1948, in New York City. Her mother, Helen Faske, was a model and worked in fashion. Her father, Gabriel Faske, was a tailor. Sadly, her father passed away when Donna was only three years old.
Donna and her older sister, Gail, grew up in Woodmere, New York. Donna spent a lot of her time in the art department during high school. After graduating from Hewlett High School in 1966, she went on to study at the Parsons The New School for Design. This school is well-known for teaching fashion and art.
Donna Karan's Fashion Career
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After college, Donna Karan started working for the fashion company Anne Klein. She quickly became a very important designer there. She even became the head of the Anne Klein design team. She stayed with Anne Klein until 1984.
In 1973, Donna was part of a famous fashion event called The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show. When Anne Klein passed away in 1974, Donna Karan and her friend Louis Dell'Olio became the main designers for the company.
Starting Her Own Fashion Business
In 1984, Donna Karan decided to start her own fashion business. She worked with her husband, Stephan Weiss, and a company called Takihyo Corporation. Her goal was to create "modern clothes for modern people." She showed her very first collection of women's clothing in 1985.
Donna Karan became famous for her 'Essentials' line. This line included seven simple clothing items, like bodysuits, that could be mixed and matched. This allowed people to create many different outfits from just a few pieces. Donna always designed clothes that she would want to wear herself, like comfortable jersey dresses.
Creating DKNY
In 1988, Donna Karan launched a new clothing line called DKNY. This line was made for younger women and was more affordable than her main 'Donna Karan New York' collection. Two years later, she added DKNY Jeans, which focused on denim styles.
In 1992, DKNY also started making clothes for men. That same year, Donna Karan created her famous "cold shoulder" dress. This was a long-sleeved dress with cutouts at the shoulders, showing a bit of skin.
Donna Karan stepped down as the CEO of her company in 1997. However, she continued to be the chairwoman and a designer for the Donna Karan line. In 2015, she announced that she would leave her main company to focus on her lifestyle brand, Urban Zen, which she started in 2007.
Awards and Recognition
Donna Karan has received many awards for her work in fashion. These awards celebrate her creativity and influence in the industry.
- 1977: Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award
- 1982: Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award (with Louis Dell’Ollio for Anne Klein)
- 1984: Inducted into the Coty Hall Of Fame
- 1986: Special CFDA award for her influence in dressing from head to toe
- 1992: CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year
- 1994: Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement
- 1985, 1990, 1996: CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year
- 2004: CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2016: CFDA Founders Award
Personal Life
In 1976, Donna Faske married Mark Karan. They had a daughter together before divorcing in 1978. In 1983, she married artist Stephan Weiss. Stephan later became a co-CEO of the Donna Karan company. He passed away in 2001.
See also
In Spanish: Donna Karan para niños
