September 28, 2015
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. Born Donna Faske in 1948 in Queens, N.Y., Karan grew up around the fashion world: her father was a gifted tailor and her mother was a model turned showroom saleswoman. Karan officially began her career interning for the prestigious Seventh Avenue designer Anne Klein, who became like a second mother to the talented yet inexperienced designer. While engaged to Mark Karan, who she went on to marry in 1968, Karan fell for sexy, older Stephan Weiss, who became her on-again, off-again "addiction." Their affair eventually led to her divorce, followed by her marriage to Weiss; his illness and death were crushing to Karan. She details her rise in the fashion world, including the launch of Donna Karan New York with the highly innovative, original Seven Easy Pieces. Over the years, she struggled with the frenzy of her life as well as a loss of identity, turning to mainstream and alternative healers and spiritualists with her "spiritual sister" Barbra Streisand (who writes the foreword). After decades in the business, the A-list designer, world traveler, and philanthropist finally steps down from her brand. 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. Color photos.
October 1, 2015
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: a rocky childhood in Queens, her time at Parsons School of Design, her rise to the top as a fashion designer, and her present-day passion for philanthropy. Karan's turbulent childhood informed her early goal of becoming a stay-at-home mother, as well as an enduring impulse to surround herself with people and nurture them. She breathlessly narrates her climb to the top at Anne Klein and the creation of her own label]here, she's in Milan sourcing fabric; there, she's at Versailles, surrounded by celebrities. The glamour and elitism of the fashion world threatens to alienate readers, but the author's voice is genuine and honest. Her career path, however, soon cedes importance to her spiritual one. But when talk of psychics, cabala, yogis, feng shui, and silent retreats veers from the mainstream, Karan takes readers by the hand. She acknowledges her "woo-woos" while never belittling her faith in them. She writes of the professional and romantic beginnings and endings that have shaped her life with compassion, both for herself and for those involved. Ironically for a woman who so famously embraces black for her wardrobes, in Karan's life, there is no black or white. There are no real villains here and few absolutes: just good friends, valuable mentors, great loves, and significant losses. 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.
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October 1, 2015
After years of tireless work, courage, artistic risks, and well-timed luck, Donna Karan put her mark on the fashion world, designing innovative, versatile clothing for urban, working women. In this candid and engaging memoir, Karan offers a window into her immense energy and work ethic and her inspiration, which seems to always come from practical needs. The flaws in her teenage daughter's clothing led to the creation of her youth brand, DKNY, and her husband's dislike of suits led to a men's line, DK. Despite being a major fashion icon, Karan is quirky and humble (no Miranda Priestly here). Anecdotes about Karan suddenly whipping off her own clothes to dress a celebrity, or carrying a potato around in her purse because she liked the color, are nicely mingled with fashion-insider talk about CEO hiring schemes and branding strategies as well as behind-the-scenes glimpses of runway shows. For readers enthralled by the fashion chronicle The Battle of Versailles (2015), Karan's personal account of America's success that night will come as an additional bonus. A highly readable memoir, perfect for fashionistas.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)