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Fashion Designer Liz Claiborne Dies at 78
Fashion icon Liz Claiborne died on Tuesday at the age of 78 according to a statement from the company she helped found.
Liz Claiborne CEO Bill McComb released a statement saying “In losing Liz Claiborne, we have not only lost the founder of our company, but an inspirational woman who revolutionized the fashion industry 30 years ago. Her commitment to style and design is ever present in our thinking and the way we work. We will remember Liz for her vision, her entrepreneurial spirit and her enduring compassion and generosity.”
Born in Brussels, Belgium in 1929 Liz Claiborne immigrated to the United States in 1939 and was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1976 she founded Liz Claiborne Inc. along with her second husband Art Ortenberg and Leonard Boxer.
From the start Liz Claiborne designed close that would help revolutionize the way women dressed for work. Claiborne turned the company into a multi-billion dollar enterprise after creating men’s apparel, accessories and fragrances to go along with her women’s lines.
Claiborne stepped down from day-to-day operations in 1989 and was said to be battling with cancer when she passed away on Tuesday.
