Designer Donna Karan was famously enchanted by the natural world — organic matter, rooted in the past yet growing anew. The same can be said about the inspiration for the spring 2025 Donna Karan New York collection, where natural elements and images of past lineups were on the design team’s mood board.
As the brand continues to chart a new path, it maintains the founder’s focus on the end consumer, creating styles for a sophisticated woman who needs wardrobing for a busy life.
Fabric development is where the team sees their point of difference in the market: linens, cottons, pure silks, cashmere — a Donna Karan staple — across the seasonal color palette of sandy pink-hued clay, limestone, bright white and inky blues, each in monochrome looks setting the mood.
Tailoring is an important segment for the brand, here centered with a looser blazer with a slightly strong shoulder, paired with any number of interesting pant proposals — loosely flowing or a new style with an apron that belts to the side, mimicking a skirt. A supple vegan leather asymmetric top, baring a bit of shoulder, added a touch of the sensual, and could be paired with one of the gossamer satin skirts, ideas that work for a variety of body types. Top it off with one of the standout outerwear ideas, like a trench in a technical fabric with wisps of transparency and a scarf detail that lays sculpted around the neck.
Dresses have been performing well at retail and there are new ideas for the season, including a sleeveless crochet knit that glided down the body over a beige slip, a sheath style in micro sequins and another with a metallic rock print with a gathered waist, inspired by a print the eponymous designer once used.
It’s all rounded out by new east-west style handbags and sandals and slingbacks that incorporate a sculpted gold heel.
The brand is thinking beyond the office as well, with a new collection called Donna Karan New York Weekend that launches for holiday. It brings another dimension to the overall vision with pieces that work for those casual moments in their woman’s life, but the polished urban ethos remains. Part of the collection is an evergreen lineup that reimagines Karan’s versatile capsule of easy pieces for a modern daily uniform, each piece crafted from a luxe travel stretch knit that resists wrinkles.
From the start of last year’s relaunch the internal team has been adamant that they aren’t diluting their vision by chasing trends, but staying true to their mission of giving women approachable, well-designed pieces that stay in their closet rotation for years to come. Spring delivers on that promise.