My Journey

Description

In this definitive, deeply personal, and often provocative memoir, designer and female icon Donna Karan shares her life story, including intimate and candid stories of her difficult and isolated childhood (the daughter of a tailor and a showroom model-turned-Seventh Avenue saleswoman); her nearly five decades in an ever-evolving fashion industry; her two marriages; motherhood; and her spiritual journey over the last twenty years. 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.

DONNA KARAN was born on Long Island to a tailor father and showroom model-turned-saleswoman mother. She attended Parsons School of Design and began her career with an internship at Anne Klein, where she rose to head designer in 1974 at age 25. She launched the Donna Karan collection in 1985, introduced DKNY in 1989, and created a beauty line in 1992. Karan sold her company, where she remains creative director, to LVMH in 2001. 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 benefits to raise funds for AIDS awareness and education. Since 1993 she has underwritten "Super Saturday," an annual designer flea market/barbecue to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. And every year, she co-chairs the New York "Kids for Kids" events at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. In 2007, Karan established Urban Zen, a luxury lifestyle brand and foundation that addresses wellness, education, and the preservation of cultures through their artisan communities. The CFDA has honored Karan six times; in 2010 she was nominated for their Womenswear Designer of the Year award. Karan has a daughter, Gabby Faske, and two grandchildren.

"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