LIZ CLAIBORNE DIES

liz claiborne with her husband of over thirty years, and business partner, arthur ortenberg.

trail blazing fashion designer liz claiborne died yesterday. according to the new york times, her death was caused by "complications " from cancer. she was 78 years old. she started her company in 1976, specializing in "affordable, professional-looking clothes" for women in the corporate world. that was a fitting demographic since claiborne herself was a corporate giant. by the time she retired from her company in 1990 it was the largest womens brand in america, making over 1 billion in sales. today the company owns juicy couture, ellen tracy, lucky brand jeans and dana buchman. liz claiborne, inc was the first company by a woman to enter the fourtune 500.