Donna Karan, Parsons Link on Haiti Initiative

NEW YORK — In the soothing, calm of Urban Zen, Donna Karan was a whirlwind of energy, darting around the precisely appointed space with boundless enthusiasm as she pointed out the details and craftsmanship of the numerous Haitian-made designs. The designer certainly has reason for such zealousness, having recently partnered with Parsons The New School for Design to open DOT, the Design, Organization, Training Center for Haitian artists in Port-au-Prince. Whether showing off oversize leather necklaces, tobacco leaf vases, papier-mâchè handbags, a yoga mat bag made from recycled T-shirts or intricate iron-work designs, Karan had a one-size-fits-all description: “This is Haiti.” She would know, having visited the country multiple times in the past five years to work with artisans such as Pascal Thearad, Cookie Villard, Shelley Fox and Jean-Paul Sylvaince. The unlikelihood of a hip West Village designer store championing the handiwork of one of the world’s poorest countries resonates with Karan, who said people often react to her Haitian-made designs with, “Really, Haiti?” Five years after she first visited Port-au-Prince following the 7.0 earthquake that rocked Haiti and caused an estimated $8 billion in damage, Karan has increasingly upped her commitment personally and through her Urban Zen Foundation. Last month a foursome

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