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Donna Karan steps down from company bearing her name

By Danielle Haynes
Donna Karan arrives on the red carpet at the 2014 CFDA fashion awards June 2, 2014, at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in New York City. Donna Karan International announced Tuesday that Karan is stepping down from the company. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Donna Karan arrives on the red carpet at the 2014 CFDA fashion awards June 2, 2014, at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center in New York City. Donna Karan International announced Tuesday that Karan is stepping down from the company. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

NEW YORK, June 30 (UPI) -- American fashion icon Donna Karan is stepping down from the company that bears her name more than 30 years after founding the brand with her husband.

Donna Karen International announced the move Tuesday on Instagram.

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"After much thoughtful discussion and in partnership with Donna Karan International (DKI) and MHLV [Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton], our visionary founder, Donna Karan, has made a personal decision to step down from her day-to-day responsibilities as chief designer for Donna Karan International," the post read.

Karan founded the company in 1985 with her now-deceased husband, Stephan Weiss.

"Over the past three decades, Donna Karan has inspired women around the world to embrace their power and sensuality," the Instagram post said. "When she started her collection in 1985 she set out to simply make clothes for her and her friends. A little collection of simple black pieces that was all about need and desire. She quickly found out that she wasn't alone — she had a lot of friends out there. Her philosophy of a sophisticated system of dressing, 'her seven easy pieces' revolutionized the working woman's wardrobe."

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MHLV said it has no plans to replace Karan, and her main collection will be suspended indefinitely, The New York Times reported. DKI will reorganize to "substantially increase its focus on the DKNY brand," a statement from MHLV said.

Karan will remain with the company in an advisory role and will spend time working on her Urban Zen Company and foundation.

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