Who is Donna Karan? See Net-worth, Quote, Awards, Fact, Wiki

Donna Karan Wiki Biography

Donna Karan was born as Donna Ivy Faske on the 2nd October 1948 in Queens, New York City, USA. She is a fashion designer, one of the most popular and influential all over the world, who is the creator of the DKNY and Donna Karan New York clothing labels. She is also the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Her career has been active since the 1960s.

Have you ever wondered how rich is Donna Karan as of early 2016? According to authoritative sources, it is estimated that the size of Donna`s net worth is over $450 million, which has been accumulated through her successful career in the fashion industry, during which she has collaborated with many popular magazines and celebrities.

Donna Karan Net Worth $450 Million

Donna Karan was brought up in a Jewish family by Gaby Faske, a tailor, and Helen Faske, who worked as a model. Thus, Donna was influenced by her mother, and after graduation from Hewlett High School, she enrolled at the Parsons School of Design, which enabled her to enter the world of fashion.
With the ending of the 1960s, as she was hired as Anne Klein`s assistant, and started to move up the ladder in the fashion industry. In 1971 she was assigned as associate designer, and in 1974, when Anne died and Takihyo Corporation of Japan became the new owner, Donna was promoted to head designer, together with Louis Dell’Ollio. Donna stayed in the company until 1985, when she decided to start her own fashion house. Her first collection was released in 1985, only dedicated to women. However, she soon started expanding her business, and in no time became popular because of her “Essential`s” line, which incorporated seven easy pieces of clothing, all of which could be mixed and matched. In 1988, Donna created the DKNY line for younger women – which stands for Donna Karan New York – and which is less expensive than her original Donna Karan line. Then in 1990, she launched a denim and jeans DKNY collection. Two years later, she started a DKNY men collection, and in 1993, she released the “Signature” line. Thanks to the success of her fashion house, Donna`s net worth increased by a large margin during those years.

Five years later, Donna decided to leave her position as CEO, but was still the chairwoman of the company, and also continued to work as a designer. However, in 2015, she stated that she was leaving her company for good, as she has decided to dedicate herself to personal life.

During her career, Donna has received several awards, including as the Menswear Designer of the Year 1992 and Womenswear Designer of the Year 1990 and 1996 given by the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Furthermore, Donna was inducted into the Coty Hall Of Fame in 1984.

When it comes to her personal life, Donna Karan was married twice. Her first husband was Mark Karan, from whom she divorced in 1978; the couple had a daughter. In 1983 she married Stephan Weiss, but she kept the surname of her ex-husband. Anyway, he worked with her in the Donna Karan Company, until he passed away from lung cancer in 2001. Donna is also known for her philanthropic work, as she established the Urban Zen Initiative with designer Sonja Nuttal, which has donated over $850,000 to Beth Israel Medical Center in NY.