Draft:Karen Millen (fashion designer)

Karen Millen OBE (born 29 September 1961) is a British fashion designer, the co-founder and former Creative Director of eponymous fashion brand Karen Millen, established in 1981.

Early life and education
Millen born in Maidstone, Kent, is the third of four children. Raised in a family where financial constraints were navigated with creativity, her mother, a secretary, and her father, a carpet fitter, instilled resourcefulness, prompting Millen's early foray into clothes-making.

From a young age, Millen displayed an interest in fashion, crafting clothes for her dolls and later creating garments for herself. Dissatisfied with the mainstream fashion options, she began making shirts for friends.

Karen attended Medway College of Art where she studied fashion design, graduating in 1981 at age 19.

Early career
Upon graduating, she entered into a business venture with her then-boyfriend, Kevin Stanford, securing a £100 bank loan. Operating from their kitchen table, they started producing and selling shirts, gradually expanding to markets and boutiques.

By 1983 the journey led to the acquisition of their first store in Maidstone. The initial product line focused on tailoring, reflecting Millen's personal fashion preferences—trousers, shirts, and bold-shouldered blazers.

Slow, organic growth ensued, with shops in opening in Tunbridge Wells, Brighton, and Guildford over a 10-year period.

Growth
In 1990, amid a recession, an opportunity arose for businesses to occupy vacant shops in London with offered premiums. Due to the company's minimal debt resulting from its organic growth, Millen seized the opportunity to set up a store in Chelsea. With significant growth over the following 10-year period, by 2000 the brand had a stores in Europe, North America, Canada, Far East and Middle East, and by 2004 the company had a turnover of over £65 million.

Sale
In June 2004 Karen stepped down as Creative Director and sold the business to Mosaic Fashions. The company has since passed through numerous hands and Millen has had no association with the company.

Personal life
At the age of 19, Karen met Kevin Stanford, together they founded Karen Millen whilst raising three children. Following their separation in 2004, Millen and Stanford sold their business, both moving onto other projects. Karen redirected her focus towards philanthropy, founding the charity Teens Unite Fighting Cancer in 2007 and collaborating with Hope HIV and the University of Creative Arts to establish The Gateway School of Fashion in 2008.

Millen was honoured with an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in 2008 for her services to fashion. Recognising her achievements and contribution to the fashion community, women in business and the UK high street.

In 2015, Millen entered into litigation with the Karen Millen brand over the use of her name, resulting in restrictions preventing her from associating herself, or her name, with any future business endeavours.

Millen was declared bankrupt in 2017, Millen expressed her distress over the bankruptcy, attributing it to the collapse of Kaupthing, the Icelandic bank that supported the 2004 deal, rather than solely to her own financial decisions.

In 2023 Millen made a return to fashion, collaborating with the eponymous brand for "The Founder" collection.

Honours and awards
Millen was awarded


 * Order of The British Empire (OBE) in the 2008 New Year Honours for services to the Retail Industry


 * 2006 Hon DArt (Doctor of Arts) issued by De Montford University
 * 2002 Honorary Fellowship issued by Kent Institute of Art & Design