To support the Urban Zen Initiative—Donna Karan's boho non-profit that promotes integrative medicine and cultural preservation—the designer sold off some of her own belongings in a two-day warehouse sale this past weekend in the West Village. On Friday, about 500 people showed up at Stephen Weiss Studio, many of them waiting in line outside on Greenwich Street. One lucky shopper snapped up an Art Deco dining set for $3,750 (it had been appraised at $9,000), while others made short work of a room full of evening clothes. Though some of the garments were old production samples, there were also pieces by Halston, Yohji Yamamoto and others that had been purchased for inspiration. Die-hard Donna fans dug through the racks for gems labeled "DK Personal," the indication that they came from the designer's personal closet.
By Saturday afternoon, the crowd was less rabid and the remainders had a somewhat dated feel: think thong leotard bodysuits, chunky open toed Steve Madden wedges (a favorite of Donna's in the late '90s, apparently—but who didn't love them back then?), even a pair of used cross-country skis.
Sadly, shoppers hoping for a Donna sighting during the sale were to be disappointed, as she was in Italy for work.
