Haute 100 New York Update: Donna Karan

Our Haute 100 list details the accomplishments of the most influential people in each of our markets—Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. These people continue to make moves, so rather than waiting for the next Haute 100 issue to come out, we thought we’d provide you with regular updates on those Haute 100 members who are making headlines. On our Haute 100 New York list is Donna Kara, the renowned designer who holds two CFDA titles and who is constantly providing philanthropic aid through her Urban Zen initiative.

Donna Karan

Category: Designers

Company: DKNY

Industry: Fashion

What Made Her Haute: Fashion designer Donna Karan founded Urban Zen Foundation in 2007 with a mission to advance the journey of health care by combining Eastern traditions with Western science. Her fashion collections continue to make headlines every season.

What Makes Her Haute Now: Karan recently partook in the 13th annual Super Saturday designer garage sale in Nova’s Ark in the Hamptons and hosted the event along with InStyle and Kelly Ripa. The event helped raise funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and was crowded with fixtures on the social scene such as the Kardashians, Karlie Kloss, and Lizzie Tisch. Karan’s Urban Zen booth relaxed shoppers with Reiki massages and New Age treatments as the celebrities flocked to purchase everything from $200 Ralph Lauren cashmere sweaters to Steven Alan shirts. Come fall, the designer’s brand, along with Armani, Chanel, and Oscar de la Renta, will sell plus-sized items on Saks Fifth Avenue’s coveted third floor.

Not a stranger to entrepreneurship, Karan, along with Sarah Brown and Arianna Huffington, will be part of “The Women: Inspiration & Enterprise.” The symposium will focus on women from all circumstances joining together to share thoughts and find solutions; the event will aid the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood.