Donna Karan started her career as an designer at Anne Klein in the 1960s, where she eventually became an associate designer in 1971. In 1984, Karan left Anne Klein and started her own business "to design modern clothes for modern people". Donna Karan showed her first women's clothing collection in 1985.

In 1988 Dona Karan extended her 'Donna Karan New York' line by a more affordable one for younger people, called DKNY. Two years later, she created DKNY Jeans, a denim-inspired collection and the men line was launched in 1992. Today this brand is a multi million dollar brand with variety of product including a line of accessories such as DKNY watches, eyewear, perfumes and much more. Currently most styles of the DKNY watch collection caters to young demographics and DNKY watch brand is gaining great popularity in the wrist watch global market.