Overview

Since she introduced her game-changing Seven Easy Pieces fashion collection in 1985 (which allowed working women to trade their manly suits for sensual, comfortable separates), Donna Karan has never lost sight of her life goal- to empower women. In this, her first book, Karan will interweave the journey of her incredible career (from scrappy Anne Klein intern to global lifestyle guru) with her personal ups and downs as a young woman plagued by insecurites, a wife and mother straddling the personal and the professional, a friend to stars such as Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, and Demi Moore, and a spiritual seeker and philanthropist.

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9781101922811

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Reviews

By turns moving, insightful, and hilarious, yet always, always heartfelt . . . When you re a true force of fashion, nothing holds you back. Vogue When Donna Karan stepped down as head designer from her eponymous label this July, it was the end of an era, so consider this autobiography her parting gift. Although it covers her robust career and company s growth, Karan also gets deeply personal. . . . Expect a holistic view of the woman behind one of the most influential American labels. StyleCaster Donna s creativity and passion as a committed philanthropist are matched only by her gift for friendship. Whether she s making the world more beautiful or giving a Haitian artisan the tools to create a sustainable business, Donna has always led with great heart and wonderful humor. I am so grateful that our shared commitment to Haiti and its people brought us closer together, and I can t wait to see what she does next. President Bill Clinton What we take for granted often comes from the most revolutionary of sources. In New York in the 1980s, no one was more radical than Donna Karan. While dress for success was the mantra of that time, Donna never saw that as a directive to simply ape what guys wore. She created a way of dressing that was womanly, practical, and empowering. The singularity of her vision and the courage of her actions brought New York to the world and the world to New York. Anna Wintour My Journey is the story of an extraordinary personal, professional, and spiritual life. It s a journey defined by Donna's incredible resilience, her inward search for calm in the midst of success, and her insistence on always following her heart. Arianna Huffington Anyone who has ever watched Donna Karan in the dressing room with one of her loyal customers has witnessed a bond between designer and client that is as vital as an umbilical cord. That same bond is present on every page of this memoir. Her story is as American as it comes. She starts out as Fashion Avenue s Funny Girl and ends up transforming women s wardrobes, with a pledge of allegiance that she never breaks. And that s just the fashion part! Ingrid Sischy Donna demonstrates unwavering passion and commitment to women, family, design and all of humanity with her immense philanthropic work. She lives her life with a bold spirit and possesses one of the greatest hearts of anyone I know. Her story is fascinating! Calvin Klein After reading My Journey, I stopped to reflect on the numerous times Donna and I have had meaningful conversations, from our first meeting, to her outfitting me in one of her classic black turtlenecks for my books tours, to our attending many philanthropic events together over the years. Without question, Donna is one of the most iconic fashion designers of our time. She is more than a friend; she is my sister. Deepak Chopra A stylish yet substantive memoir from a fashion titan, written in a New York accent. With equal parts restraint and candor, Karan chronicles the story of her life so far. . . . [Her] voice is genuine and honest. . . . Embellished with decorous name-dropping one of her best friends is Barbra Streisand Karan s effort is still authentic and sometimes funny. Without the need for lurid details or sensational ploys, she keeps the pages turning. Clothes, Karan believes, should be a supporting player in your story, never the story itself. In her elegant and satisfying memoir, the author achieves just that. Kirkus Reviews In this candid and revealing memoir, fashion designer Karan recalls her less-than-perfect youth, her relationship with mentor Anne Klein, her glory years as a mega-successful fashion designer, and her grief over losing the love of her life to cancer. . . . Karan is generous with honesty and insight. The book s energy is infectious, and Karan s instinctive talent on the page and off is fascinating. Publishers Weekly From the Hardcover edition.

Advance praise for My Journey Donna s creativity and passion as a committed philanthropist are matched only by her gift for friendship. Whether she s making the world more beautiful or giving a Haitian artisan the tools to create a sustainable business, Donna has always led with great heart and wonderful humor. I am so grateful that our shared commitment to Haiti and its people brought us closer together, and I can t wait to see what she does next. President Bill Clinton What we take for granted often comes from the most revolutionary of sources. In New York in the 1980s, no one was more radical than Donna Karan. While dress for success was the mantra of that time, Donna never saw that as a directive to simply ape what guys wore. She created a way of dressing that was womanly, practical, and empowering. The singularity of her vision and the courage of her actions brought New York to the world and the world to New York. Anna Wintour My Journey is the story of an extraordinary personal, professional, and spiritual life. It s a journey defined by Donna's incredible resilience, her inward search for calm in the midst of success, and her insistence on always following her heart. Arianna Huffington Anyone who has ever watched Donna Karan in the dressing room with one of her loyal customers has witnessed a bond between designer and client that is as vital as an umbilical cord. That same bond is present on every page of this memoir. Her story is as American as it comes. She starts out as Fashion Avenue s Funny Girl and ends up transforming women s wardrobes, with a pledge of allegiance that she never breaks. And that s just the fashion part! Ingrid Sischy Donna demonstrates unwavering passion and commitment to women, family, design and all of humanity with her immense philanthropic work. She lives her life with a bold spirit and possesses one of the greatest hearts of anyone I know. Her story is fascinating! Calvin Klein After reading My Journey, I stopped to reflect on the numerous times Donna and I have had meaningful conversations, from our first meeting, to her outfitting me in one of her classic black turtlenecks for my books tours, to our attending many philanthropic events together over the years. Without question, Donna is one of the most iconic fashion designers of our time. She is more than a friend; she is my sister. Deepak Chopra From the Hardcover edition.

Author Information

Donna Karan was born in Queens and raised on Long Island, New York. She attended Parsons School of Design before beginning her career with an internship at Anne Klein, where she rose to head designer in 1974 at age twenty-five. She and her husband, Stephan Weiss, founded Donna Karan International, launching the Donna Karan New York collection in 1985, DKNY in 1989, and a beauty line in 1992. Karan's philanthropic efforts are extensive: A longtime board member of the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America), she conceived its Seventh on Sale benefit to raise funds for AIDS awareness and education, and has co-chaired the New York Kids for Kids event for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Since 1993 she has co-chaired Super Saturday, an annual designer flea market/barbecue to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. In 2007, Karan established Urban Zen, a luxury lifestyle brand and foundation that addresses wellness, education, and the preservation of culture through their artisan communities, most notably in Haiti where she is now partnering with Parsons School of Design for vocational education. The CFDA has honored Karan six times; in 2004 she received its Lifetime Achievement Award. Karan has a daughter, Gabby Karan de Felice; two stepchildren, Corey and Lisa Weiss; and a total of seven grandchildren. From the Hardcover edition.

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