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Born in New York, Donna Karan began her fashion career at Anne Klein in the late 60s, before launching her own fashion line in 1984. Four years later, she introduced a spin-off fashion label called DKNY. The first fragrance, Donna Karan, was launched in 1992, and the Donna Karan brand now boasts a collection of around 16 different perfumes. Their latest fragrances are the Love From New York eau de toilette range. DKNYs most recognisable fragrances and gift sets are DKNY Be Delicious eau de parfum, Be Delicious night, fresh blossom and Donna Karen Gold...

THE WOMAN

Donna Ivy Faske was born on 2nd October 1948 in Forest Hills New York. Her mother Helen was a model who also worked in the designer Chester Weignberg’s showroom and her stepfather was a suit designer. In 1968 after dropping out of high school Karen was accepted int the highly respected Parsons School of Design in New York. Karen started out her career as assistant designer for Anne Klein but descended to the top of the brand with her impressive designs. Karan married her first husband Mark Karan in 1974 but by 1985 after their divorce launched her own label Donna Karan. Karan’s second husband Stephen Weiss was described as calm and collected, the perfect match to Karan’s sometimes intense personality, he became the perfect inspiration for the brand.

THE BRAND

The first women’s collection in 1985 was designed for modern women who wanted to fit within the business workplace. In 1988 Karan recognised that there was a need for affordable fashion and launched DNKY a women’s line that was influenced by her daughter Gaby. She later went on to develop DNKY Jeans and DNKY for men and in 1992 Karan launched a collection specialising in fragrances. She famously directed the creators of the men’s fragrance to take inspiration from the back of her husbands’ neck. In 2001 Karen sold her company to LVMH a French luxury group for a rumoured $650 million but Karan stayed on as head designer. DNKY’s headquarters are located at 550 Seventh Avenue Manhatten New York and today have stores in Denmark, Canada, London, Dubai and Hong Kong. In recent years DNKY have launched specialist sport clothing lunes due to a huge demand for unique items with faces for the brand including the likes of Cara Delevingne and Emily Ratajkowsji.