How Two Fashion Industry Leaders Are Changing The World

I’ve never really “lunched.” Yes, I’ve always dreamed about perching at a corner table in some fancy bistro, gabbing away while twirling my strands of pearls, but, realistically, that’s never really fit into my life as a working adult. That is, until recently, when I attended Fashion 4 Development’s fourth annual First Ladies Luncheon during the UN General Assembly. Okay, this clearly wasn’t so much the sipping-Champagne-over-frivolous-convo kind of lunch (far from it). The event brought fashion industry leaders together with first ladies from around the globe in the name of diplomacy, fashion, and the greater good of women and children.

Two of the most noteworthy honored guests were designers Donna Karan and Stella Jean, who raise awareness about positive social change by empowering talented women worldwide to build their collections. “[Fashion 4 Development] is so important because it’s everything I believe in from the point of view of working with artisans all over the world," Karan said. She added that it's "not just giving people money, but giving them a platform...for what they are so brilliant at, which is creativity.” And, that’s exactly what she does with her line Urban Zen, and what Jean is doing with her namesake collection. Click through to learn more about how these two designers are changing the fashion scene for the better and shop their goods for a good cause, too.