The modern apparel and accessories corporation, DKNY, was founded in 1985 in New York by Donna Karan, head designer, and her late husband, Stephan Weiss. Karan had a challenging goal of combining comfort and luxury in her clothing lines to appeal to her target market. Karan believes that whatever design she creates, it begins and ends with the body. DKNY became a publicly-traded venture 1996, and in 2001, was purchased by LVMH, Moet Hennessey Louis Vuitton, a French luxury corporation.