Anne Klein hired the services of Donna Karan as her assistant only for summer when she was studying at the Parsons School of Design in New York. In 1974, just after three years working as Associate designer with Anne Klein, Anne Klein died suddenly and Donna Karan took over the control of the company and she became head of the company. After working for one decade at Anne Klein, she set up her own reputation for practical comfortable sportswear just like in stretch fabrics and dark colors, Karan and her late husband, Stephan Weiss, set up their own company in 1984. After one year she exhibited her own Donna Karan New York Collection basing on the idea of ‘seven easy pieces’ reveal the bodysuit that finally became her trademark.
The designs made by Karan are simple but decent and sober consisting of wrap skirts to corseted evening wear which was liked by the majority of people and especially from the celebrities of Hollywood in the ‘80s.
With the desire to design the suit of her husband, a male collection was exhibited. From that time Donna Karan International is till trying to diversifying and expanding to meet the demand of every age and life styles consisting of kids wear, sun glasses, perfumes and home furniture. She is well reputed with winning of seven highly prestigious CFDA awards comprising of 2004’s Lifetime Achievement Award to match with her 20th anniversary. The company became an enterprise trading with public in 1996 and awarded with French luxury LVMH in 2001 for $643 million. At that time Karan was working as chief designer.
