Donna Karan is the fashion designer and the creator of the DKNY clothing label. She was born Donna Ivy Faske on October 2, 1948 in Forest Hills, New York. She grew up in Hewlett, Long Island with her stepfather who was a tailor and her mother who was a model. She graduated from Hewlett High School in 1966 and then went on to Parsons The New School for Design for two years. She left to work for Anne Klein. Eventually she became head of the Anne Klein design-team and remained in this position until 1989. At that time, she launched the Essentials line, and her legendary "Seven Easy Pieces." , She married Mark Karan in the early 1970s.