Karen Kane

Karen Kane

Born on 23rd July 1956 in Ohio, Karen Kane is a fashion designer from America. She was the youngest among three kids. When she was nine years old, Karen moved to Santa Barbara, California, where she spent her early years sewing and taking several fashion courses. In eleventh grade, she stitched a coat and when her teacher registered Karen’s design in the statewide competition, the coat won and this gave Karen a hope. These days, she lives with her husband in Los Angeles and runs her eponymous company in California.

At the age of nineteen after her graduation from Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), Los Angeles, she started her fashion career. Karen worked as a pattern maker for her new job at a sportswear label. Around that time, she met her husband and future partner in business, Lonnie. Karen and Lonnie married in 1979 and the couple also launched her namesake women’s wear line from their garage Studio City. At first the brand was shelved at small specialty shops but when the collection expanded, department stores became interested in selling the label. Among the big retailers include Bon Ton, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Carson Pirie Scott, Von Maur, Lord & Taylor, Dilliard’s, Bloomindales, and Belk. Her range is sold on Zappos and Amazon as well.

Karen has been well-noted as the leader of the Insourcing progression in America. In 2012, she received an invitation from the White House to attend a jobs summit on the same movement by President Barack Obama. The same year, Karen’s headquarters was visited by Demetrois Marantis, a U.S. Trade Representative to research about the challenges faced in domestically merchandizing apparel in America.

New collections were launched by the year 2006, a casual lifestyle range. In addition to this, she produces plus sized women’s wear as well. In 2008, she launched a collection of a variety of separates in knit cloths, leather and silk, named Fifteen Twenty. The label has dressed celebrities like Carrie Underwood, Hilary Duff, January Jones, Ashley Greene, Jessica Biel and Eva Longoria. In 2013, she introduced another division of tops, sweaters and knit dresses sold exclusively in Bloomingdales. More than this, she designs contemporary lines too.

Karen Kane’s business is family managed as well as privately owned. Lonnie also serves as the Chairman of California Fashion Association. Michael, their older son oversees the licensing and marketing department in the company. The couple’s younger child Robert, designed a collection of t-shirts that was launched in 2010 Summer.

Karen’s inspiration comes from Coco Chanel, who she admires and loves since Chanel had a timeless style. In addition to this, she likes Ralph Lauren as well. Among her role models includes Karl Lagerfeld.

Karen is involved in philanthropic efforts as well, she is a dynamic supporter of Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, the Santa Barbara Cottage House and Cedars Sinai Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Moreover, she remains involved with the Karen Kane Scholarship and FIDM.

In her free time, Karen makes herself busy with some extra activities. She takes pleasure in growing vegetables and roses in her home garden. She visits her son and shops in New York city. She also explores apparels at L.A. boutiques. Kane also enjoys spending time and relaxing with her family at their house.