Donna Karan in San Francisco

Donna Karan's recent visit to San Francisco brought a flurry of fashion buzz, as well as some retrospective articles on the designer's successful fashion design career. San Francisco is an established hub of west coast fashion design, rivaled only by Los Angeles, and served as a suitable landing pad for Ms. Karan's recent visit.

Donna: A Fashion History

The famous fashion designer began her fashion design career in 1984 with a simple line called, "Seven Easy Pieces." The collection included bodysuits, pants, skirts, and tops. Her fashion design career has been comprised of ten years at Anne Klein before starting her own line. The popular DKNY line followed later, designed around her observation of her daughter, who wore mostly sweaters and jeans.

A Fashionable Visit

During Ms. Karan's auspicious San Francisco visit, her list of appointments included the following fashion events:

• A fundraiser reception at the de Young Museum
• A fashion design show with a horseshoe-shaped runway (a nod to the New York fashion design tradition)

Fashion Buzz

It was even heard among fashion design buzz that the designer's publicist inquired about San Francisco real estate, suggesting she might look into a residence there.

Where Fashion Lives in the West

With fewer claims to famous fashion designers like Ms. Karan, San Francisco was glad to have her, and showed her a warm welcome. Less known than New York for its presence in fashion design, San Francisco is home to a number of prominent fashion design schools, many of them with valuable connections to New York fashion design schools.
Like its east coast cousin, San Francisco is a great place to start a fashion deign career. And with fashion design schools available online, location (while you're a student, at least) can matter even less.
Sources
San Francisco Chronicle

Joe Cooper is a freelance education and technology writer and edits medical literature. He holds a bachelor's in American Literature from UCLA.