The National Arts Club will honor Donna Karan with the Club’s Medal of Honor in the field of fashion on March 5.
Karan will be recognized for her enduring influence, lasting legacy and pioneering career which reshaped the fashion world.
Tara Cortes, president of the National Arts Club, said, “Donna Karan didn’t just design clothes — she designed a lifestyle for the modern woman who refused to choose between elegance and utility. The National Arts Club is proud to honor a visionary who has spent decades creating a lasting standard for American design.”
Concetta Anne Bencivenga, the NAC’s executive director, added, “Donna Karan changed the definition of fashion for generations, bringing a classic elegance that allows women to look and feel extraordinary in every space and at every stage of life. Her impact and artistry make her an iconic recipient of the Medal of Honor in Fashion.”
“I’m so honored to be receiving this award,” said Karan, who cofounded Donna Karan New York with her late husband, Stephan Weiss, in 1985. “Creativity shapes all I do — from fashion and the visual arts to my philanthropy. My husband Stephan, an artist, believed every problem has a creative solution. It’s a philosophy that guided my career: how to dress and address busy woman, how to make them feel sensual and confident day to night with just seven easy pieces — practical, yet creative and sophisticated. To be recognized with this award means so much.”
In 2007, Karan founded Urban Zen, a foundation dedicated to three core initiatives: preserving culture; integrating mind, body and spirit into health care; and education.
The award ceremony takes place on March 5 at 6 p.m. at the landmarked Tilden Mansion, the home of the NAC at 15 Gramercy Park South in New York. Speakers at the event include Kenneth Cole, fashion designer and social activist; Gabby Karan de Felice, restaurateur and Karan’s daughter; Rebecca Moses, fashion designer, illustrator and author, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, politician, lawyer and diplomat.
Previous honorees have included Ruben Toledo, Joseph Abboud, Valerie Steele, Anna Sui, Narciso Rodriguez, Iris Apfel, and Norma Kamali, among others.
