Donna Karan’s ethos is rooted, among others, in the concept of “connecting the dots,” inspired by the work of her late husband, the artist Stephan Weiss.
On Thursday evening, Karan opened the doors to the doors to Urban Zen and the Stephan Weiss Studio in the West Village which is a space to gather and “connect, create and communicate.” It was the perfect environment for CFDA’s inaugural evening of fellowship and networking for CFDA member designers and their teams.
“Each and every one of us is an artist,” Karan told the crowd, which included many of our designers, including Andre Walker, Jasmin Larian Hekmat, Nicole Miller, Sachin and Babi Ahluwalia, Maria Cornejo, Italo Zucchelli, Ashlynn Park, Mimi So, Batsheva Hay, and Paul Morelli.
“Each one of us is an individual, but what matters most is how we connect—because that creates something bigger, a new dimension,” Karan added.
The designer said she could not be who she is today without a fair share of doubts. She started her fashion career at the age of 18 working for Anne Klein while at Parsons School of Design.
“Back then, they told me I would never be a designer, that I didn’t know anything about design, but Anne Klein hired me,” she added. “And what was I good at? Making her a drink at night…it was very simple…make a good drink; she feels good; she goes home, and then you can go home. Otherwise, you were there until four in the morning.
“The moral: in design, there is no time; fashion is a pure love project you do from your heart, your soul, your spirit.”
Her audience – which also included designers Elie Tahari, Brandon Blackwood, Yeohlee Teng, LaQuan Smith, Bonnie Young, Abrima Erwiah, Barry Bricken, Selima Salaun – loved the memory.
“This evening is really about bringing teams together, getting to know one another, and making connections, building community, and fostering camaraderie,” CFDA Executive Vice President Lisa Smilor said. “It’s about sharing and recognizing that we’re all in this together, and taking the time to get to know each other a little better.”
Along the process, the goal is to find the calm within the chaos of the world we live – a mission Karan has always prioritized.
“The beauty of what we’re facing today is the opportunity we have as creative people,” Karan said.
“There is chaos. When that happens, we have to create community. We have to connect the dots. What I’m asking all of you is to think beyond ‘me” and move toward ‘we’…. as a community rooted in consciousness and change.”
The evening was the perfect manifestation of this important sentiment.
