DKNY Perfume

Donna Karan, the creator of DKNY (Donna Karan New York) was born Donna Ivy Faske in 1948 in Forest Hills New York. From a very early age she was fascinated with fashion, her step-father being a tailor and her mother a model. After graduating from high school in 1966, she studied at Parson’s School of Design for two years, and then went on to work for Anne Klein, eventually becoming head of the design team. In 1973 she married Mark Karan and the couple had a daughter Gabrielle, but they later divorced. Karan married sculptor Stephan Weiss in 1983. In 1984, Karan left Anne Klein and supported by Weiss, started her own company, showing her first collection the following year. She firstly became famous for her range of elastic bodies, but soon her Essentials line became successful, offering seven mix and match pieces to create a fully integrated wardrobe. This appealed greatly to the 1980’s working woman, and today the Essentials line has been broadened to about 200 pieces.

In 1988 Karan extended her collection with a less expensive line, DKNY, designed for younger women and reportedly inspired by daughter, Gabrielle. This marked the beginning of a period of amazing growth for the company. The line was so successful that she is regarded as the first designer to successfully establish a bridge collection. In 1990 she created DKNY jeans and two years later DKNY for men.

Karan also expanded her portfolio with a kid’s collection, beauty products, accessories, hosiery, eyewear, intimate apparel and furniture. Her fragrance line includes the limited signature brand Cashmere Mist, DKNY Women, DKNY Men, Be Delicious and Red Delicious. Sales rose up to 510.1 million in 1995 from $96.6 in 1991. More than half of the sales are attributed to the DKNY lines, couture contributes 15% and about 30% of the sales are generated by men’s clothing, accessories, cosmetics and other products. Almost a third of the sales are made in exports.

Until recently, Karan's husband Stephan Weiss shared responsibilities with his wife at the top of the company. Weiss was in charge of Donna Karan cosmetics, but by the end of 1995, Weiss resigned from his duties in order to concentrate more on his art. In mid-1997 Donna Karan herself followed her husband's resignation, backing off from the position as CEO of the company. Donna Karan remains in the company as chairwoman and designer in charge. John Idol, who used to be with the Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, is now Chief Executive Officer of the company.

Karan is twice winner of the Coty American Fashion Critics Award, firstly in 1977 and then again in 1982 (with Louis Dell’Ollio for Anne Klein). In 1984 Karan was inducted into the Coty Hall Of Fame. The Council of Fashion Designers (CFDA) of America made her “Menswear Designer of the Year 1992” and “Womens Wear Designer of the Year 1996”. She was a nominee for the latter again in 2003 and was presented with the “Lifetime Achievement Award by the CFDA in 2004.

DKNY Perfume

Donna Karen perfume