Liz Claiborne

Liz Claiborne is a clothing company founded in 1976 by Liz Claiborne that designs and manufactures men and women's apparel, accessories, and fragrances.

Fast Facts

1. Founded: 1976
2. Created by: Liz Claiborne
3. Flagship store: New York City
4. Staff: 17,000
5. CEO: William L. McComb
6. First company founded by a woman to make the Fortune 500

About Liz Clairborne the Designer

Liz Calirborne was born on March 31, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. Claiborne went to St. Timothy's boarding school in Catonsville, Mayland. She failed to finish high school, opting to move to Europe and study art.

In 1949 Harper's Bazaar sponsored the Jacques Heim National Design Contest in which she won. Soon after she moved to New York City where she worked in the highly proclaimed Garment district as a sketch artist for Tina Leser.

Clairborne started her company in 1976, her opening sales for the first year were $2 million, increasing to over $23 million in 1978. Liz Claiborne designs boasted one-third of the American women's upscale sportswear market.

Claiborne retired in 1989. By then owning companies such as Kaiser-Roth, which is the current producer of Liz Claiborne accessories.

In 1997 Claiborne was told that she had a rare form of cancer affecting the lining of the abdomen, and on June 26, 2007 at the age of 78 Liz Claiborne lost her battle with cancer and passed away.

Liz Claiborne Subsidiaries

• Mexx
• Juicy Couture
• Kate Spade
• Lucky Brand Jeans
• Dana Buchman

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