in the history of American fashion,
Donna Karan, is stepping down as chief designer
of Donna Karan International.
Karan, 66, plans to devote greater time to her
Urban Zen company and foundation, but will
remain a close adviser to DKI under a long-term
agreement, according to the company.
The designer created a modern system of
dressing for legions of successful women, while
establishing a tremendous rapport with her
customers, which continues to this day.
Karan cofounded DKI with her late husband
Stephan Weiss and Takiyho Inc. in 1984. In 1996,
DKI went public on the New York Stock
Exchange, and in 2001, LVMH Moët Hennessey
Louis Vuitton paid $243 million for all
outstanding shares in DKI, plus $400 million for
Gabrielle Studio Inc., the licensor of the Donna
Karan trademarks.
“LVMH and I have made this decision after
much soul-searching,” said Karan on Tuesday. “I
have arrived at a point in my life where I need
to spend more time to pursue my Urban Zen
commitment to its fullest potential and follow
my vision of philanthropy and commerce with a
focus on health care, education and preservation
of cultures. After considering the right time to
take this step for several years, I feel confident
that DKI has a bright future and a strong team
in place.”
Pierre-Yves Roussel, chairman and chief
executive officer of LVMH Fashion Group, said,
“Since 2001, LVMH and Donna Karan have
partnered to develop Donna Karan International
into a global business. It has been a privilege
for all involved to collaborate with Donna and
we are very pleased she has agreed to remain
an adviser. We are committed to fully realizing
the potential of the company while staying true
to the spirit and value Donna has championed
for more than 30 years.”
Caroline Brown, ceo of DKI, added, “Donna
Karan is a visionary designer, who changed the
way women dress by redefining power and
sensuality. Her influence has been
extraordinary and will continue to inspire for
years to come. As she steps into this new role, I
speak for the many teams at DKI in supporting
her great legacy and reinforcing our
commitment to it for our next chapter.”
At the present time, DKI won’t seek a successor
for Karan as chief designer of Donna Karan
Collection and will suspend that brand’s runway
shows and collections for now. The company
plans to continue to support the Karan brand
through its strong license business. DKI will also
reorganize its teams and structure in order to
substantially increase its focus on the DKNY
brand.
Ironically, Karan’s fall 2015 designer collection
was deemed to be one of her best. “The opening
look might as well have been a chic sandwich
board heralding, ‘I’m back!’” wrote WWD in its
review, which praised her tailoring, “spectacular
outerwear,” dresses and blouses with volume,
untricky layers, and “two black strapless
evening gowns that were better than beautiful.”
In April, DKI made a design switch at DKNY,
replacing Jane Chung, executive vice president
of design at DKNY, with Dao-Yi Chow and
Maxwell Osborne, founders and creative
directors of Public School, the buzzy men’s wear
brand. When they were hired, it was reported
that they would report directly to Brown.
September will mark their first DKNY collection.
According to sources, DKI may be considering
merging the Donna Karan Collection into DKNY
and offering a broader range of price points — a
similar, but opposite tack taken by sister brand
Marc Jacobs, which is incorporating Marc by
Marc Jacobs into the Marc Jacobs collection.
It’s been a 31-year labor of love for Karan, a
whirlwind of creative energy, who transformed
the way women dress, while riding the ups and
downs of her fashion company.
Source:wwd.com
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