Karen Kane Designs the Hugely Successful Clothing Line That Bears Her Name

"I always knew I'd do something in fashion, but I never imagined my life would be like this," explains Karen Kane, the FIDM Fashion Design grad whose self-titled clothing empire is one of the most successful in the industry. Born in Ohio and raised in Santa Barbara, California, Karen knew from an early age that she wanted to pursue a career in fashion, which meant enrolling at FIDM's Los Angeles campus to hone her craft.

"I'd been sewing since I was 10 or 11 years old and I took every sewing class and home economics class I could," says Karen, who used to knit outfits for her Barbie's and dress paper dolls. After high school, there was no question that Karen would pursue her love of fashion.

At FIDM Karen took classes in pattern making, draping, and illustrating. "I think a fashion school gives a person a foundation for what the fashion business is about," she says. "If that's what you want to do with your career then FIDM is the right decision."

After graduation, Karen and her husband Lonnie Kane (President of Karen Kane, Inc.) opened up shop in their Studio City garage. The humble beginnings included a phone, a couple of sewing machines, and a bedroom office. Twenty-two years later, Karen Kane is sold in all 50 states, boasts four outlet stores, three divisions, and a 150,000 square-foot headquarters. Karen Kane produces 420 different product styles, four times a year, and sales have topped $80 million.

Today, Karen works with a design team of about 30, which includes cutters, sewers, patternmakers, and designer assistants. While Karen focuses on the design and product side, Lonnie heads up the sales and production. "We split it that way so he has to respect my decisions for my side and vice versa," she says. "Our offices are sort of attached in the middle of the building."

Karen Kane is geared toward women in their 20s to 50s. Her line is sold at upscale department stores such as Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's, and is produced domestically, in Mexico, and overseas in Asia. They make clothing for four seasons including spring, summer, fall, and holiday.

A typical day for Karen starts with taking her two sons to school. After arriving at the office she looks at fabrics and attends various meetings. On Wednesdays, her staff gathers for a communication meeting, where each department can fill the other in on how things are going. If there's a particular fabric she's interested in, she'll run a quick cost sheet.

"After lunch I usually walk through stock for a few minutes to see what's coming in and how it looks," says the hands-on designer. Karen typically designs in the afternoon and says it is a team process.

So where does the inspiration come from after 22 years of designing? "I try and stay current with movies and current events," she explains. "I try to go where people shop and walk and I stay in touch with all the European and New York fashion shows to know what's going on there." Karen also designs clothing based on what she and other moms would want to wear.

"A lot of people don't pay attention to that customer," she explains. "We are not super trendy or the company that has to have the lowest low-cut pant. We're for the woman who may have had a couple of kids." This formula has worked well for Karen Kane over the years. The label currently boasts three divisions: Lifestyle (separates including jeans, coats, and blouses, that ship once a month), Sportswear (shipped in two groups each month), and Instyle (trendier items that ship once a month).

And what does a fashion designer wear herself? "I'm more casual. I like sweaters and I mix my clothes with other designers. I wear Max Mara's pretty coats and I like Jil Sander's stuff," she says.

So what advice would Karen give to an aspiring fashion designer? "Be ready for a lot of hard work and don't give up," she says. "Start at the bottom and learn how the business works. Understand the seasons and the cycle and how a line is created. I think you have to begin at the beginning to truly understand."

She continues, "There are so many things to learn. How do you order trim? How do you order buttons? Work in a design room even as an assistant so you can understand the business."

As for the future of fashion, Karen Kane predicts that clothes and trends will be prettier for women. "We've had a lot of negative influences in the past like grunge," she explains. "I think it's healthier for clothes and women to look prettier and more sophisticated. Let's not focus on the negative."

This FIDM alumni's success story is a great example for aspiring designers. With dedication, hard work, talent, and training, Karen Kane has become one of the biggest names in the fashion industry. And she has no plans to stop anytime soon.

(All fashions shown are from the Karen Kane Spring 2002 Collection.)