Meet Donna Karan, American fashion designer and the creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY clothing labels.  Growing up in NY, Donna Karan was influenced by fashion from a young age by her step-father, a tailor and her mother who was a model.  After attending Parson’s School of Design for two years, she began designing for Anne Klein and eventually head of the Anne Klein design-team.  In 1985 she left to start her own company that quickly became known for her Essentials line, which offered 7 easy pieces every woman should own.  Three years later, in ‘88 the DKNY collection was introduced,  as a modern, moderately-priced young collection, drawing from the spirit of big city life.

Karan’s clothing is designed to enhance and look good on every woman, not just coming down the runway.  Donna Karan is known to support the needs of modern women with her clothing. The saying goes, that before the production of a piece of clothes is approved by Karan, it has to look good on her! 

Find Donna Karan’s fashions at Donna Karan New York.  This desinger’s information was acquired at Fashion Infomat. 

Designer: Jill Stuart

Designer Jill Stuart was deep into the fashino industry since birth, as her parents owned a popular ’60s Manhattan clothing store called Mister Pants, dressing stars including Natalie Wood and Lucille Ball.  Leveraging those connections, Stuart was able to  jump-start her own career.  At 15, this Manhattan native designer had jewelery and handbags displayed in the windows of high end stores including Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Henri Bendel and Neiman Marcus.  

The Jill Stuart label became well known for innovative ad campaigns with top fashion photographers.  While other designers were going grunge in the early 90’s Stuart turned to preppy and plaids, which became notoriously linked to the popular teen movie, Clueless.  Stuart’s feminine, sometimes frilly collections can be found in her Soho flagship, as well as in higher-end department stores, and has come to include handbags, shoes, and perfume. In 2007, Stuart launched a secondary line called Jill by Jill Stuart featuring ready-to-wear pieces at lower prices.

You can find Jill Stuarts beautiful collections at JillStuart.com.

All designer information was found from an article featured in New York Magazine. 

Designer: Tia Ciabani, Ports 1961

Designer: Rachel Roy

Originally from California, Rachel graduated from Washington DC then moved to New York to pursue her passion for design, working freelance – styling magazine shoots and music videos ultimately landing an internship at Rocawear where she was able to master her craft and build several influential relationships.  In Fall 2004, Roy introduced her own collection, RACHEL ROY, which debuted in department and specialty stores for Spring 2005. Using her sophisticated aesthetic to her own collection, incorporated with striking silhouettes, a sophisticated color palette and day-to-night pieces, Roy has attracted editorial acclaim in publications such as Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, W and Vanity Fair.

Dressing icons and starlettes including the likes of Michelle Obama, Kate Hudson, Lucy Liu and Penelope Cruz, also featured on The Oprah Winfrey show, RACHEL ROY is making a prominent and influential mark on fashion.  

RACHEL ROY NEW YORK has grown to include four full collections each year and recently created a joint venture with Jones Apparel Group Inc. in the hopes of expanding the wholesale business globally, introduce new product categories and open stand-alone stores in the United States and abroad.  To date, the RACHEL ROY collections are available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and top specialty stores worldwide.

Click HERE to find stunning RACHEL ROY collections.

All of this designer’s information was found at RachelRoy.com

City of Hope:

Hundreds of fundraising events are held for City of Hope across the nation each year. Every dollar raised advances our mission to transform innovative research into treatments that save lives here and around the world. Hundreds of thousands of people share your desire to make a difference by driving us to work even harder to conquer cancer and other serious diseases. On behalf of patients and their loved ones, we invite you to join the effort.

Such Events include: Walk For Hope, Eggleston Desert Gold Classic , Fight For Life and the Sierra Madre Wine and Jazz Walk.  

Breast Cancer Facts:

The seriousness of invasive breast cancer is strongly influenced by the stage of the disease; that is, the extent or spread of the cancer when it is first diagnosed. There are two main staging systems for cancer. The American Joint Committee on Cancer classification of tumors uses information on tumor size and how far it has spread within the breast and nearby organs (T), lymph node involvement (N), and the presence or absence of distant metastases (spread to distant organs) (M). II, III, or IV is assigned, with stage I being an early stage and stage IV being the most advanced. The AJCC staging system is commonly used in clinical settings.

 A simpler system used for staging of cancers is known as the SEER Summary Stage system and is more commonly used in reporting to cancer registries and for public health research and planning.  According to this system:

– Local-stage tumors are cancers confined to the breast.

– Regional-stage tumors have spread to surrounding tissue or nearby lymph nodes.

– Distant-stage cancers have metastasized (spread) to distant organs.

This information was provided by the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Facts and Figures 2009-2010.  Find the PDF version HERE.

Auction Details:

Visit www.sharpieuncapped.com to participate in the auction and bid on designers’ Sharpie art work  and be sure to read Works of Art From the Heart for more info on the auction and Know the Facts 1 & 2.

Sharpie, Uncap What’s Inside!

Designer: Prabal Gurung

This designer has made his mark on the world of fashion as an artistic designer and visionary.  Born in Singapore, raised in the kingdom of Nepal’s Katmandu, studying in New Delhi and working working all over the world, Gurung’s inspiring travels have helped him to develop impeccable taste and an eclectic style.   

Currently residing in NYC, fusing an old world-technique with cutting-edge modernity, Prabal Gurung creates beautiful pieces.  “He is an artist whose mission is to bring his unique vision to the force of the industry and lease an indelible mark on the work of fashion.”  Gurungs collections are found in select Bloomingdale’s stores in NY and CA as well as internationally.

 This information was acquired from the brand’s website.  For more info on this ground breaking designer and his line please visit www.prabalgurung.com

Designer: Rebecca Taylor

This well-known New Zealand native has grown to be one of the most well known designers in the US.  Coming fro ma humble background, Taylor got her start in her hometown of Wellington, New Zealand where her first job was making outfits for Viet Cong frog puppets for director Peter Jackson’s movie Meet the Feebles.  Taylor claims that this job “put her on the right road” — and lucky for us because today we get to buy her beautiful creations, ranging from accessories to dresses, tops to bottoms, even jackets and candy!  Shop Rebecca Taylor’s collections HERE!

This information was acquired from the brand’s website.  For more info on this designer and her beautiful line please visit www.rebeccataylor.com.

Designer: Michelle Smith, Milly 

Michelle Smith designer behind Milly is taking steps in defining the new young luxury niche with smart, sexy and feminine style.    her line consists of ready-to-wear and resort collections of sleek and timeless silhouettes that compliment her own wardrobe as well as her large customer base.

Milly is known for exquisite colors and prints, luxurious fabrics and beautiful details.  With shops all over the world, including London and Tokyo, Milly is building global recognition for its functionality, detail and high quality. Combining her creativy, love of fashion, couture techniques, and striking prints,  Michelle Smith continues to create beautiful, functional pieces that easily move from day to night.  Click HERE to view and shop Milly’s collections.

This information was acquired from the brand’s website.  For more info on this lovely designer and her line please visit www.millyny.com.

City of Hope Fact

City of Hope’s breast cancer services and technologies provide women with the best care available. Breast Cancer prevention, early detection and genetic counseling are a priority. City of Hope offers advanced imaging technologies for breast cancer detection , including digital mammography, breast MRI and more.

For women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, City of Hope provides state-of-the-art surgical, medical and radiation therapies, including many that are not yet available to the general public.

Many breast cancer services at City of Hope are provided at the Rita Cooper Finkel and J. William Finkel Women’s Health Center. Staff members at the center are committed to enhancing each patient’s well-being, both physically and emotionally.

Breast Cancer Fact

Doctors estimate that 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to gene mutation passed through generations of a family. A number of inherited defective genes that can increase the likelihood of breast cancer have been identified. The most common are breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2), both of which increase the risk of both breast and ovarian cancer.

If you have a strong family history of breast cancer or other cancers, blood tests may help identify defective BRCA or other genes that are being passed through your family. Consider asking your doctor for a referral to a genetic counselor who can review your family health history. A genetic counselor can also discuss the benefits, risks and limitations of genetic testing with you.

Auction Details

Visit www.sharpieuncapped.com to participate in the auction and bid on designers’ Sharpie art work  and be sure to read Works of Art From the Heart for more info on the auction and Know the Facts featuring Tory Burch and Tracy Reese.

Tory Burch prides itself on being an attainable, luxury, lifestyle brand defined by classic American sportswear with an eclectic sensibility.  The line embodies the personal style and spirit of its co-founder and creative director, Tory Burch.  Opening her first flagship store in February 2004 in NYC, Burch designed the boutique to feel more like a room in her own home versusa traditional retail store, with key design elements to include orange lacquer doors, mirrored walls, and Lucite fixtures.  Graphic prints, bold colors and ethnic detailing are all signatures of the brand.

Burch finds draws creative influence from her mother and father’s unique personal styles, in addition to art, photography, films travel, and the work of interior designer David Hicks.  Tory Burch is available at 16 free-standing Tory Burch boutiques across the US, over 400 select department and specialty stores worldwide, and online at www.toryburch.com. 

This information was acquired from the brand’s website.  For more info on the fabulous designer and her line please visit www.toryburch.com.

Designer: Tracy Reese

This Parsons School of Design alum has apprenticed under Martine Sitbon, worked for the small contemporary firm, Arlequin, and has worked at some of the industry’s top fashion houses, including Perry Ellis where she was the design director for Women’s Portfolio.  In Spring 1998, Reese launched her collection.  Known for her distinctive look of ultra-feminine pieces layered with intelligent nostalgia, charm and luxury, the line is perfect for the modern woman who simply loves to be a girl.  That same year, the designer introduced her second line, plenty by Tracy Reese, a bohemian, ethnic-inspired collection that is of-the-moment, yet never trendy. The collection is both eclectic and adventurous, featuring Reese’s signature detailing.

Since their initial launches, both Tracy Reese and plenty by Tracy Reese have expanded into several brand categories. Tracy Reese footwear, handbags and belts feature ladylike silhouettes in luxurious leathers with exquisite detailing; while the whimsical, feminine and eclectic, plenty brand now includes a home collection, candles, cosmetic cases and handbags. Reese added a third collection to her line up, frock!, comprised of fun and flirty occasion dresses that easily transition from day to evening.

Bright colors, unique prints and intricate patterns define Tracy Reese, plenty and frock!  All three lines! are sold nationwide in top department stores and specialty boutiques including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Anthropologie and Scoop as well as retailers throughout Europe and Asia.

This information was acquired from the brand’s website.  For more info on the wonderful designer and her line please visit www.tracyreese.com.

City of Hope Fact

City of Hope is one of only 40 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers nationwide and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. An independent biomedical research, treatment and education institution, City of Hope is a leader in the fight to conquer cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases.

Visit www.cityofhope.org for more details on how you can get involved and more information about the organization.

Breast Cancer Fact

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. between the ages of 45 and 55. Although breast cancer in women is a common form of cancer, male breast cancer does occur and accounts for about 1% of all cancer deaths in men.

Auction Details

Visit www.sharpieuncapped.com to participate in the auction and bid on designers’ Sharpie art work  and be sure to read Works of Art From the Heart for more info on the auction! 

Uncap What’s Inside!

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Sharpie has teamed up with some of fashion’s finest designers in a charity initiative to benefit City of Hope, a Breast Cancer research, awareness and education center. 

A host of top fashion designers including Tracy Reese, Milly, Prabal Gurung, DKNY, Tory Burch and many more, have joined Sharpie to create works of inspiring art with a theme to empower women!  These amazing sketches, along with a t-shirt designed exclusively for Sharpie by fashion icon and breast cancer survivor Betsey Johnson, will be donated to City of Hope, a leading research, treatment and education center for cancer and other life threatening disease. 

The auction begins Friday, October 23th @1pm (PST) & ends Sunday, November 2nd@  1pm (PST).

Visit us at www.sharpieuncapped.com to learn more about how to participate and bid on one-of-a-kind art pieces created by fashion’s finest!  Pictures of the designer’s canvases will be featured on Sharpie Uncapped ,the Sharpie Fan page on Facebook and bid on these exclusive designer canvases at www.auctionsforhope.org.

 A big THANK YOU goes out to all the fashion designers participating in the auction!  Your designs are beautiful and your contribution will help to touch millions!

Be sure to pick up your Sharpie Pink Ribbon markers and highlighters this month, benefitting City of Hope. Check out the Pink Ink at www.sharpie.com

On a spedial edition of The View, Sharpie Retractable Markers were chosen as an audience must-have product!  A product that people

Love and Can’t Live Without! 

Check out the clip from The View’s October 9th, special edition “Must-Have” episode feauturing Sharpie!

Click HERE to get the full list of Must-Have products!

Check out all the Sharpie Retractable Markers at Sharpie.com !  

Yes, it’s the new Stainless Steel Sharpie, currently held up in a celebrity gifting suite in L.A., busy hob-nobbing with celebs and other industry big-wigs in an effort to GET NOTICED!   The truth is this is one Sharpie that doesn’t have to shout from the rooftops.  Today I watched as celeb after celeb stepped up to our Sharpie table at Melanie Seigel’s Platinum Party Gifting Suite in West Hollywood (at the super chic Palihouse Hotel) and fawned over the new Sharpie.  Second that with all of my Twitter friends (sharpiesusan) who sent Tweets of praise and want.  And, BTW, it wasn’t just celebs who were doing the drooling, it was everybody in the room – the publicists and camera crews, the photogs and stylists, the girls showing purses and the athletic shoe guy and even the girl wearing the beret selling hi-tech headsets.  People couldn’t keep their hands off of our shiny new toy. 

Lots of you have asked so here are the deets:  $6.99, refillable cartridge ($1.99), fine point, black only (for now) available at Office Depot, Staples, Walmart and other retailers in late March.  Oh, and that’s a laser etched Sharpie logo on the barrel.  Swank!  

Our post-award ceremony reports will start Monday, after the news is out about best picture, best actor and best dressed — and after the new Stainless Steel Sharpie rests up from all the parties and celebrity action here in Tinsel Town.  I know if there was an award for best Sharpie, the new Stainless Steel would take the gold (ok, make that silver).    Whatever the prize, Sharpie would humbly accept, and give thanks to all of you, its long-standing and loyal fans, for always making Sharpie feel special, no matter how we dress it up.  That’s because shiny or not, Sharpie always delivers.  You can’t fake that, not even in LA-LA land.

Actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, right, signed copies of their new book, “Influences” at a Barnes & Noble store in New York.  The famous twins remind me that Sharpie offers its own Twin-Tip markers.  Sharpie Super Twin Tip features a Fine tip on one end, a Chisel tip on the other.  The regular Twin Tip has a Fine and Ultra-Fine tip.   Twice the Sharpie fun!

Speaking of autographs, the experts at Sports Card Info offer some tips on getting the best autographs.  Sharpie makes the grade for most items:

Baseball = Ballpoint pen
Football = Sharpie Marker
Basketball = Sharpie Marker
Hockey Puck = Sharpie Marker
Golf Ball = Sharpie Marker
Photograph = Sharpie Marker
Baseball Bat = Sharpie Marker
Sports Card = Sharpie Marker
Hat = Sharpie Marker
Jersey/Pants = Sharpie Marker
Helmets = Sharpie Marker
Index Cards = Ballpoint pen or Sharpie Marker
Pennants = Sharpie Marker
Shoes = Sharpie Marker
Poster = Sharpie Marker
Tickets = Sharpie Marker
Bobblehead = Sharpie Marker
Glove = Sharpie Marker

David on the dotted line

Don’t know how you could have missed it (since he’s one of the most talked about celeb/athletes ever), but in case you did, Sharpie has a partnership with soccer star David Beckham that includes TV commercials, print ads, and a promotion where you can win a chance to meet him in person (hurry and enter before January 31, 2009).  I was on-site at the TV ad shoot in Los Angeles earlier this year and can I just say he was about as kind and modest a celebrity (did I mention gorgeous) as I have ever met (this includes my former dealings with Punky Brewster, a.k.a. Soleil Moon Frye, Scarlett Johannson, football’s Steve Young, and former President Jimmy Carter, who I personally witnessed work from sun up until sun down building homes for Habitat for Humanity).  Anywho…I posted this picture because I thought you should know that David Beckham really does use Sharpie markers to sign autographs.  I bet he also wears Armani suits and Adidas shoes – who wouldn’t?  These are great brands, just like Sharpie. ]]> http://blog.sharpie.com/2008/12/sharpie-sighting-david-beckham/feed/ 0