KLAYBORN Liz

"Liz Claiborne, Inc." met all expectations and reached its zenith in 1990 when she was named the magazine "Fortune" among the hundred most profitable firms. It reached such a high level in just 15 years.
. Ask a business woman or any woman who makes any purchase that arises in their mind at the mention of "Liz" and you'll get an immediate explanation, worthy researcher Markets on Madison Avenue
. The names "Liz-Sport" and "Liz-Clothes" received national recognition faster than any other brand in the history of production of garments. The first products were shipped in 1976, and by 1986 it had already been companies that meet all American women who dream of a professional, practical and affordable clothes. "Liz" immediately won the recognition of free but elegant, contemporary women's costumes in a sporty style, designed for all women, wherever and by whomever they are working. It was a universal sentence, literally, for all, with a simple but functional style, combining and diversity, and reciprocity, which has never before encountered in the lines of clothing made by competitors. "Fashionable, functional and affordable" - a trademark of Liz. The most amazing thing is that the image of "Liz" was created in less than a decade - an unprecedented feat for embittered, as watchdogs, a pack of competitors in the "rag" business. As often happens, the level of sales success and curves completely coincide with the rising spiral recognition and popularity branding "Liz".

. No other company has not experienced a dizzying rise, as a company Liz Klayborn, and none of the women had not earned as much money as she, in such a short period (about 200 million dollars in ten years)
. PrichinaN It is precisely chosen time. It satisfied the need arose (elegant clothes) market (working women) properly chosen price (slightly above average), . combining the diversity and large volumes (mixing and compatibility of multiple sets) in a practical style with many shades of color and materials,
. Klayborn designs that were created for ordinary women, but not impossible for modelersh with thin waists. She solved the problem, which required attention, and performed it with elegance, style and enviable ease ..

Klayborn changed the form of special clothes for working women. She gave them the opportunity to look elegant and businesslike in modern clothing. All her magic was that she listened to my inner voice in the design of clothing and thus wanted to dress as a woman, making a career. And the inner voice does not put her in confusion, as predicted by the sages. Its pioneering spirit has ignored the views of industry experts, who never would have agreed with its strategy. She relied on his own idea of "working clothes American women" and even offered to bet the family savings (about 50 000 dollars), that her dream came true. She intuitively felt, what clothes I would like to have a woman, and was completely right, which was confirmed by subsequent events in the business world. As a working woman Klayborn realized that highly learned guru clothes do not. She said in an interview with "Fortune" (1987): "I worked myself, I wanted to look good, and did not think that you have to spend your whole well-being to have to do it. Only a couple of companies served in the case of our new women - and both in the traditional, srednenko style. I felt that we could do it better. "

Klayborn directly approached the implementation of its long-standing dream of creating his own line of trendy women's clothing. Her understanding and vision forced her to decide on the transformation of marketing and production of clothing the working woman. Liz Klayborn captured the entire market segment of women's clothing, nor could have any other firm in history. Magazine "Women's Wear Daily" (1991) Liz Klayborn described as "a phenomenon worth two billion dollars". The magazine "Fortune" said of her company: "Liz was a great Klayborn ranger, and in 1992 put her fourth in the list of" 300 most famous companies in America. That is, she was second after the "Levi Strauss" in the appropriate group. Magazine "Working Woman" (1992) poured out his feelings: "Today," Liz Claiborne "is not only one of the most successful companies in America for the production of clothing - she is one of the most successful companies in general America in our time."

. The singularity of this phenomenon in the business was that. That, firstly, it was one of the two firms based in women and get into the list of 500 "Fortune", a second, this was the most rapid incorporation into the prestigious list
. It took only ten years of activity, to cross the sacred land of elite hundred "Fortune". According to some financial indicators in 1988, "Fortune" set Liz Klayborn first among all companies in this list for 1979-1988. Incredibly, the company had an average of 40 percent of income annually for ten years. It was incomprehensible to the firm, which does not even exist until 1976. This forced the "Fortune" to declare Liz Klayborn most successful entrepreneur of America. How Klayborn able to achieve this neveryatnoy vysotyN She was able to take into account the needs of the market and then listened to his "inner voice" to meet this need and fill the market. She said Elsa Klensh of "Vogue" in 1986: "My original concept was, . to dress women, . who should not have to wear a suit - teachers, . Doctors, . Women, . working in Southern California or Florida, . women of different professions,
. They should not have or would not necessarily wear suits. "

Klayborn wanted to bet on all the family savings, confidence in the correctness of his vision for the future. She placed an advertisement on his bet in a scrolling "Women's clothing" and managed to win, symbolically break the bank in Las Vegas. Company "Liz Claiborne" succeeded in 1991 to become a company valued at two billion dollars and a favorite of Wall Street. In the early nineties the company as leading the business of women's clothing, that its turnover was estimated from 5 to 10 percent of all trade in the United States. Persistence paid off Klayborn.
PERSONAL HISTORY
Elizabeth Klayborn was born in Brussels, Belgium, March 31, 1929, the American parents from New Orleans. She was born the second child, but the first girl. Her older brother, Omer Klayborn, the owner of an art gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her mother, Louise Fenner Klayborn, was a homemaker and seamstress with a practical character. Her father, Omer Klayborn, was a banker, an immigrant in "Morgan Guaranty Trust Company" and had to have a positive influence on her, despite their traditional, if not old-fashioned, boring talk about life and women's place in it. He was a direct descendant of the famous William C. K. Klayborna, who ruled the State of Louisiana during the War of 1812.

Klayborn really was having in French before the British took possession, as was brought up in Brussels. She describes her father as "very old-fashioned banker who loved art and history. He "dragged it to the museums and cathedrals, all over Western Europe, trying to give her cultural education, so important in the world of creative design. During these half-childish walks she loved art and aesthetics, which are assessed as a huge asset in his later work on designing clothing lines. She recalled that it taught her to appreciate the aesthetic approach, according to which "the form and type of things is no less important than their usefulness and practicality."

. When Liz was ten, her family fled from Brussels to escape the Nazi invasion, and again returned to New Orleans in 1939
. Liz's mother taught her the art of sewing with a very early age, and its strict rules regarding dress and appearance is firmly etched in the memory of a girl. "I was taught to" see "things. You're not just buying a chair, you are buying a good chair, on which a pleasure to watch ". She constantly hammer, that should be worn when and what color. These instructions were mixed with the father's lectures on art and aesthetics and, together, created a foundation for her artistic design in clothing. Formal training consisted of Liz parochial schools, which resemble monasteries, in conjunction with the Roman Catholic faith. Her old-fashioned father and had no idea that formal education is necessary for a woman (recall Meir and Callas) and sent her to art school in Europe rather than to give an opportunity to complete secondary school in the United States.

. Klayborn attended art school in Brussels, Belgium (1947), and in Nice, France (1948) and spent time at the Art Academy in Paris
. Her father wanted to Klayborn become an artist, and insisted on the study of French impressionist painting. Liz realized very early, . that will never become a great painter, and later recalled in an interview with Nina Hyde of "Wasliington Post": "I was much, . and I am happy, . that teach, . because it taught me to see, it taught me to feel the color, . proportion and a lot of other things, . which, . I think, . I would not know the school of design ",
. She said: "I then crammed everything, walking in the evenings on the sewing course. If you like to draw and you love to sew - well, what else you have to do except to become dizayneromN "

Klayborn says that her Roman Catholic family "tightly" protested against her work in the fashion industry. She spoke to Adam Smith of "Esquire" (January 1986): "For them it was - well, too, on the New York, too rough". That way always enterprising nineteen Liz during the summer holidays at an art school participated in a national competition to design, announced with the support of "Harper's Bazaar", and won. The sketch, which brought her the victory, was a woman's coat with high collar, the product is finely broadcast a "sense of war. The prize rewards gave her self-confidence, broadened the range of communication and legitimized in the public opinion of its professionalism, that is all that is necessary to open the door to the New York world production of garments. Using his newly gained the prize for winning a ticket to the world of fashion on Seventh Avenue Klayborn quarreled with his father good-bye forever to his dream of her artistic career, and moved to New York to make their own destiny. Omer gave her fifty dollars, and solemnly said, at parting, that "women's place in the house", and not among the crowd of New York fashionistas, attendees shameful rag shops. She temporarily moved in with Aunt and started looking for work. Klayborn has taken its first step in the iconoclastic irrepressible desire for top design. All this required a lot of time, but it was not enough to simply live life hateful Cinderella, "the girl, who doeth good", despite the opposition of his father.

. PROFESSIONAL CAREER

. Early study of art began to Klayborn ticket into the production of fashion
. Her first work was done with Tina Lesser, original designer, not knowing how to draw. Artistic skills Klayborn allowed her to participate in this first work just as an assistant, but she was shocked to learn that should be of the model. This experience was excellent preparation for her future career, as represented by unorthodox Lesser she received excellent mentor. Lesser Klayborn described in an interview with "Washington Post" as "a man with a remarkably imaginative and quite unusual in business clothes. She gave birth to a stunning ideas related to designing clothes, and managed in its industry with an iron fist, but she was able to recognize talent and work with it was a continuous pleasure. "

. In 1950 Klayborn twenty-one years old when she began her career as a designer
. She married the designer publishing "Time-Life Books" Ben Schultz almost simultaneously with the beginning of his career. Their only child, Alexander Schultz, was born in 1952, and Klayborn, unlike most women of that time, continued to work. She was one of the few working mothers of the fifties and described this period: "I was completely captured by his work, and worked until the last day of pregnancy and returned to the office almost two weeks. Looking back, do not say that it was too difficult. "

Klayborn took the start in the era of dress, in the fifties. She always preferred pants, not dresses, but from the very beginning of his career earned the reputation of a great designer is different dresses. She said: "This is much like the fate of actresses. Something is not in any genre, and it becomes your niche, your Role. Klayborn went to work for designer Ben Riga, and then as an independent designer - Assistant Omar Kiama in his home design on Seventh Avenue. She then spent two years working in the "Junior Rite Company" and one year in a manufacturing company "Rhea Mann factoring" in Milwaukee, where she met with officials of the company manufacturing garments Arthur Ortenberg. As career paths sometimes play the role of fate, they also influence and personal relationships. Ortenberg eventually became her second husband, after each finished his first marriage. In 1957 they both came to work in New York.

Klayborn hoisted on top of design activity after was appointed chief designer of the youth branch of clothing firm of Jonathan Logan. She remained in that position for sixteen years, without losing faith and desire, as the son went on to study at school, and her new husband is always experimenting and constantly changed jobs. He had his own company, when it burned through, he began to find myself here and there ". Usually, she replied about his habit of wandering in search of work: "I had to be the rock of Gibraltar". Klayborn told in an interview with "New-York Times" in 1980: "I always knew that I wanted to enter the design business". That was during her work at the Jonathan Logan, when she suddenly saw a blank segment in the apparel market at reasonable prices for business women. She failed to convince employees of the firm, Jonathan Logan, that "a harmonious heterogeneity in" sportswear designed for the new working women can be a viable innovative products. The defeat of its ideas in a non-creative environment of the firm Logan led her to the idea to open his own company, the more so that her son and two step-son graduated from college by 1975. She left "a youth clothing" in December 1975 in sorokashestnletnem age, to realize the dream of life on the establishment of models of clothes for working women.
. Dream as an entrepreneur
. Introduction Klayborn on the elegant, sporty and inexpensive clothes for working women translated into reality in early 1976
. They Arthur invested their U.S. $ 50 000, deferred to life by persuading him to connect to friends: Jeremy Chase (Arthur's neighbor across the room at the college) for marketing and Leonard Boxer, that it has established production. From the Boxer and Chase, as well as from other friends and acquaintances it has received an additional 200, 000 to organize a "Liz Claiborne, Inc.". The total initial investment has exceeded 250 000 USD. Fall of 1976, Liz presented thirty-five friends tried and tested design sketches of the first group of products. Her daily "camel" jacket with the appropriate color for pants, . breeches, . pleated skirts, . fishnet blouse, . hooded sweaters, . poncho, . short jackets, . hunting jackets - everything was preconditioned in the same style with the help of supplements, . that could be mixed and still be consistent in various combinations,
. Friends came to the conclusion that they are "not home" and only "sports". The sketches were developed in order to meet the needs of "new working women", or "yuppie". She put yourself in the shoes of the customer, using the simple pragmatic scheme for self-assessment questions: "Would I wear this at work and how much would I for that zaplatilaN" - and this was the main criterion. Klayborn ignored the traditional evaluation scheme.

Best-selling Klayborn was, of course, velor "peasant" blouse and her krepdeshinovy version, developed in 1978. She sold them to 15 000 units, although expected that it will sell only 4 000. Even so, the success of partners would lose their total investment, if not returned to profit for the first year. Her husband then said: "By the time we were ready to ship its first collection, we have invested 350 000 USD in goods. Almost all of us were devastated ". But market analysis Klayborn was unerring in selecting target. Situation Lady Liz was getting on to the fact that its production was running at department stores of America. By 1978, she developed a wide skirts, tunics and jackets free rusty and plum color, to reach new segments of shoppers who wanted to see a new trend in fashion. The fact that it offered, suitable for office work and for leisure. Klayborn able to simultaneously solve the problem of practicality and reasonable price, using polyester crepe de Chine blouses, because he was fifteen dollars cheaper than silk, and declared: "This is not wrinkled, and more practical, plus like silk". Strategy and projects have been developed entirely accurately, and the company immediately gained a success, making money by selling for the first year of 2.5 million dollars. By 1978, sales rose to 23 million.

. The success of the company based on the intuitive sense Klayborn of what the needs of working women:

. "I am fully convinced of the importance of fitness, comfort, appropriate color, and I listen to the customer
. I often go out to the shop floor as a seller, I go in the auxiliary room and listen to what people like and what not. Not to do exactly what they want. What you are doing, just provide the information you need to give them what you think they should have "(" Fortune ", 1990).

Klayborn was full of sympathy for the business woman. She described the idyllic "Lady Liz" in the "New-York Times" in 1989: "My client - a working woman. She has no choice. She can not change your clothes. She needs a wardrobe, and it is financially more independent. Klayborn constantly thinking about the image of the consumer and the reasonable prices. She said: "I think women today have much more confidence in themselves and want to wear clothes that would help to emphasize this". She adds: "I would love turned to an idealized feminine image of himself. She is active regardless of age - that's the feeling we are trying to convey in our clothes. "She insisted on the same personal contact, and when doing business. Previous commercial director of a corporation Ken Wise said: "This company reminds Japanese. Employees feel part of it ". Klayborn added: "We decided from the outset that we are a family company. Here's one example: in the company all call each other by name. And even in the alphabetical list of four employees of the company they are called by name ". Wise also said: "She expects the best. Additional competition reveals best in people. "

Firm has not missed any major capital or current income due to its rapid growth. And the difficulties of growth continued until 1980. Have been issued shares at $ 19 apiece, this contributed to the fact that working capital increased to 6.1 million. Contribution to 1000 dollars in 1981 increased to 30 000 by 1992. In 1986, Fortune was favorable to the company and proceeds from sales reached one billion dollars. Other merchants began to say: "Klayborn knows what its customers want". And other clothing manufacturers began to speak prophetically: "We are following the Liz Klayborn.

Klayborn and her husband were pragmatic in their approach to expand business. They avoided the trap of a century and abandoned factories of their own possessions manufactory. Klayborn create models that are then taken into production at various factories in underdeveloped areas such as India, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea and the Philippines. In an interview with "Es-quier" in 1986, she spoke about the company's strategy: "We think that it is impossible to create a project and then add the cost of production and sales. We make a copy, sample, and then I think: if I wanted to wear this to work, as far as I could for this zaplatitN And we are trying to determine the price to maintain this number ". This strategy has led to the fact that the price began to dictate the market, rather than producers. The proposed off-shore firms value caused prices to take into account the needs of the market, which is a very Eastern approach to the issue of prices is not an example of the logic of the Americans.

. Klayborn was so shrewdly, that the company has become the fastest growing and most profitable company in the production of clothing for 80
. Some of her miracles can not be assessed without having to not look at the numbers. "Lady Liz" produces clothing for the sum of four hundred to five hundred dollars per square foot of selling area. This is three times higher than the average for other companies producing clothing. By 1990, the amount of sales by Liz Klayborn were twice more than the second-largest seller of women's clothing "Leslie Fay Company". "Liz Claiborne, Inc." become an example for all of its competitors. PochemuN Because it followed the needs of working women is better than any other firm. She was so close to the consumer that the time had the opportunity to feel the need to change, even before the fashion changes.

Consumers turned to Klayborn as Lady Liz. Research methods included the company's unique methods of consumer survey, aimed at ensuring that anticipate the needs of retailers in the coming months. The company hired a special people who are responsible for determining the desires and needs of consumers - a thing unprecedented in the history of garment industry.

"It is realistic, it is complex and wants to look proper. Fashion - part of her life, but this is not her whole life. Its average age - 41,6; average income - more than fifty thousand, it is likely to belong to the "white collar" and she wants to be dressed tastefully, but not enough to stop traffic "(" Working Woman ", April 1992).

. Liz Klayborn broke with tradition by introducing a new collection of six times a year instead of the traditional four
. She created a new style, the average between the classical and avant-garde, designed for great-looking young business women. But the company's chief talent is the ability to implement their own plans. The company worked as a service rather than as a manufacturing company. It has implemented a unique marketing program for all traders who provide a conveyor line "Claiborne". According to Irene Daria, from the "Women's Wear Daily", "this concept the company uses drawings, photographs and printed explanations, showing how things can be combined in groups". This thin and at the same time, a simple marketing ploy worked well and brought the company's initial success. She had a unique set of party clothes "variety, but homogeneous, and most dealers have never exhibited in such a complex set of goods. Today, traders assessed the marketing concept Klayborn and in fact it has become a standard industry. Only a visionary designer with unparalleled confidence in their products will be decided on such a unique approach. She said sellers: "There's so properly serve your client, that she came to see you again". It worked, and retailers appreciate the professional help, giving the place formerly owned by other producers, Klayborn. Party goods "Apparel, Liz, won the market more space than any other company's products. In 1985 the company began to manufacture men's clothing with the same success. In 1988 the company received 125 million dollars in this new market niche. In 1988 "Fortune" named "Liz Claiborne, Inc." one of the three hundred of the most remarkable companies in the United States.

Retailers have begun to understand: a company that suits buyers like Liz Klayborn worth considering. And it should provide it with more retail space in their stores. This naturally led to more successful trading. Blanch Mason of Baton Rouge, La., said in the "Women's Wear Daily" in 1991: "We gave it 25% more space in most stores, compared with other". "Macy's California" gave 50% of the seats in the department of elegant women's clothing products sportivnoi Liz Klayborn. "Gottschalks" from California - 60%. This distribution of retail space has led to the highest sales per unit of trade area among all manufacturers of clothing.

. Camille Lavington, an international consultant on communications issues, said: "Women today want them to be worthy of them - beautiful, luxurious and convenient
. To her it was easy to store and clean. All this - and reasonable price, too ". Liz Klayborn befell this formula like no other. Klayborn doing their job, intuitively feeling that they want to wear business women of the world. She sought her, has not yet reached the desired result, and then continued to work even more intensively. Her determination to make Liz Klayborn main supplier in virtually all areas, it dealt. One interesting marketing trick has been used in the departments of fine stores. One customer said: "The products of large size, it indicates a smaller size, so that psychologically women feel as if they are buying a product of smaller size. This gives them greater satisfaction ". In addition to the company employs 150 professionals whose sole task - to find out what consumers want. The only duty of twenty-one consultant - to make sure that clothing is located in the shops under the Figure "cards, Liz, determining the optimal location for displaying garments. Klayborn answers the questions: "We are doing this from day one."

By 1990, the dress code "of Klayborn and Chart Card Liz" led to the highest volume of sales of women's clothing, as compared with other firms around the world. Sales of clothing "from Klayborn" was approximately 5 to 10% of all sales in the United States. One competitor said: "Klayborn - a model for all companies producing sports clothing and general business concepts, and in the arrangement of goods for sale. Another competitor, Leonard Rabinowitz of "Carole Little, Inc.", Said: "Liz Klayborn makes it clear that if you want to succeed, all that you do, you should do fine. They confront us with great goal ". In 1988, the amount of sales the company Klayborn first time amounted to 1, $ 2 billion. Profit at the same time amounted to 100 million. Seeing that their most optimistic expectations regarding the company realized, Klayborn and her husband announced that they are excluded from the leadership in June 1988. The company continued to pursue the path of expansion, opening 55 stores, having mastered the production of perfumes and cosmetics for men and women in 1990. In 1992, the amount of sales amounted to 2.2 billion dollars in profits over two hundred million dollars. Not bad for a man who had not completed high school and has a good feel for the needs of consumers.


Temperament: intuitive-rational

Klayborn - introvert, prone to introspection. Her intuition was a defining moment in the process of creating models of "Lady Liz". Her self-confidence allowed to listen to your own inner voice despite the fact that the experts advised the opposite. Her intuitive approach to the evaluation of new products was the same as that of Lillian Vernon. They both believed true that prompted an internal sense. Stray from this course it was impossible. Klayborn was impatient and intolerant - traits that we find in people aspiring to perfection, and with creative individuals. In business, it is somewhat shy and leave all the administrative and managerial solutions to Arthur, while she was engaged in the creative side. Nevertheless, it exercised tight control over everything to do with creative projects and retail. She did not like media attention, and fused obsessive analysts to her husband. But when she approached the customer or the seller, she was able to talk for hours whims of commerce related to women's fashion.

. There Klayborn had one weakness, . inherent in the majority of entrepreneurs: innovators in the business, . usually, . do not like the routine aspects of business, . associated with the commercialization of their concepts, elements of business are considered as a necessary evil in the realization of their creative ambitions,
. It has often been tested: the majority of women are too good to exist in a cold hard world of Main Street. Klayborn possessed this quality. She always went out of discussions in an attempt to "remain good", for which he was nicknamed the weak in the media. They characterized her as not tough because of its inability to embarrass people or yell at them, as is customary on Seventh Avenue. When her grant project, which pleased her, she preferred to say nothing than to confuse people. People-men often take it for weakness, but it was just well-mannered. She became rigid when it comes time to take a final decision on a new project. Striving for excellence has been its strong point. If the project is not consistent with her views, he never realized.

May 14, 1986 Lisa Belkin published an article in "New-York Times", which described the management style Klayborn, mentioning: "It is not hard". The article refers to the entrepreneurial race Klayborn with Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney. Belkin wrote: "If you show it to two projects, she says that one of them is very good, and the other is also okay! This will mean that she does not like both. But she did not want to hurt anyone's feelings. "

Sensitivity and introvertivnost often in pairs than create the appropriate type of behavior. Klayborn was highly sensitive woman and a typical introverted. Women who lack self-confidence rarely found in leadership positions in the world garment industry, where one man - the wolf. The behavior of the leaders of industry, as a rule, dictated by a sense of self and thoughts about the quarterly earnings. They do not seem to be pretty. Klayborn achieved great success in spite of his temperament is not suitable to its surroundings, which is another proof that inspire respect coup, which she made in the industry.

Klayborn - a modest woman. Once, when a reporter for "Fortune" asked her about the size of her state, she replied: "A few million". He quickly informed her that it was probably closer to one hundred million. Her mother taught her to appreciate housewife simple and elegant solutions to complex problems. Father instill an appreciation of the arts and aesthetics, to inculcate a taste for practical elegance, style, grace and form. Her upbringing has created the conditions for its entry in a holistic style of Margaret Mead. This is the holistic mindset, which gives these women makrovidenie needed to succeed in the world of creativity and innovation. They are able to avoid the clutter and see the prospect of its capabilities.

For daily business Klayborn typical efficiency - a general feature of entrepreneurs. These people learn to survive in stressful conditions, starting. And hardly changed, even when the company was already well on his feet. Such behavior Liz made her employees take it somewhat arrogant, striving for perfection. Nevertheless, her style was aimed at a peaceful solution to the problems and is based on confidence and introvertivnosti nature. Her intolerance is often perceived as alienation since she refused to speak to groups or large audiences. Arthur was in contact with the press in all cases when dealing with projects and fashion. He managed the affairs, while she was a creative and innovative force of the company.

Between family and career

Liz Klayborn always been a working mother. At 22, she returned to work two weeks after the birth of his son Alexander. There is nothing unusual in the 90's, but in the 50's it made it virtually a revolutionary. Klayborn said about that time: "It is very much focused on his career". But, nevertheless, Klayborn refused to sacrifice everything for the sake of their business plans. She dreamed for years about creating your own style of women's clothing, but did not leave the work of Jonathan Logan and went at it up until her son, Alexander did not become independent. She wanted him to grow in peace and quiet Expressing her words, "she did not want him hurt that the family will be broken". Klayborn was a mother, and her dreams of a career delayed until as long as his son did not graduate college. In fact, it remained unloved work for sixteen years in order to guarantee stability and security of their family. When Alexander turned 21, she left the "Youth Gild" and founded "Liz Claiborne, Inc.".

Klayborn pay the price paid by each business woman. She married Ben Schultz in the age of 21 in 1950. At the same time began her career. Soon after her son was born and she became a working mother. Liz ahead of its time in a combination of career and family. Her son had to pay for a mother's frequent absences. Marriage with Ben was the first setback in this double life. It lasted only seven years. Arthur Ortenberg, they met in the business community and love each other. Both were divorced from their respectable wives and married July 5, 1957. They settled in New York, where he was Klayborn designer Jonathan Logan, who worked in the garment industry for themselves and others. Arthur was much more prone to risk than Liz, and has vast experience in business over the next decade. Liz represented the financial stability of the family in these years, Arthur rushed to find suitable work. Liz finally got tired of corporate world, where no one was inclined to take risks, where they were deaf to her revolutionary ideas. She left the "Youth Gild" in 1975. They pooled their savings Arthur and organized "Liz Claiborne" January 19, 1976. Klayborn son, Alexander, 21 years. Liz said: "If we were going to lose everything I wanted it to be old enough to move it". Her son was never interested in business and worked as a jazz guitarist in Los Angeles.

. Judging by official documents, then consistently Klayborn going to go to entrepreneurial success, putting family obligations above career adventures
. In fact, she never would have achieved such success without paying twenty-five years of fashion, before the beginning of his adventurous enterprise. She worked day and had a wife and mother in the evening. Both of these women are polishing their skills and acquire expertise in other firms before opening their own. And thus avoid many mistakes. They were independent in spirit and began working mothers at a time when it was not accepted.

. Klayborn would never have penetrated so deeply into the problem of lack of clothing for a growing number of business women, if she was not working at the time when it was appearing more and more working mothers
. However, a lucky chance played a role in its success. Her subtle analysis of the need for "diversity in uniformity, affordable, but elegant business clothes for working women was based on its own needs of the New York fashion designer with a limited budget. Liz paid for their experience loss of time, but when it started, it was well armed for battle.
. Life crisis
. Klayborn experienced its main life crisis in his childhood in Europe, where her family was forced in 1939 to escape from the Nazi war machine and go back to the United States
. Such events are usually considered as the most traumatic it is for children. Nevertheless, the study of biographies of creative geniuses have shown that children exposed to less stress than their parents, whose experience includes more shocks than children. The children quickly become accustomed to the new and unknown, and this ability to be good training for future innovators and creators. And the crisis, . and rapidly changing circumstances in early life children are positive forces in building character and helping to develop such qualities, . as self-esteem, . independence, . ability to conduct themselves in an unfamiliar environment.,

. Experience Klayborn confirms the idea of other researchers, showing that this kind of disorder contribute positively to the creative success in later life
. Klayborn learned French before English, met with the various national cultures of Europe as a child. She was receptive ten girl when the family had to flee to the United States. Such movements require the ability to adapt to a new culture, meet new friends, get used to different school systems and different ethnic groups. Klayborn grew up in Brussels, the cosmopolitan and sophisticated European city. She had to suddenly move into the pre-war New Orleans, where whites were a minority - only 45% of the population. Klayborn was in the bustling southern city, where the social system, including schools, was still based on the segregation. The city was unbearably hot and full of mosquitoes and was not expected no change. He is stunningly different from Brussels. It seems to us that it is the abrupt changes are the basis for the development of creative genius. They teach the emerging identity of behavior in the new situation and teach her independence. Klayborn learned to live in a new unfamiliar environment, and then it was sent back to Europe - already a teenager, after the war - to continue art education. There she studied art in three different European cities. This large change in the situation of youth is a factor which formed the ability to perceive a new and untested.

. THRUST DISCOVERER AND CREATOR OF SUCCESS

. Klayborn worked hard over many years, working for other products over which she hated, in order to finally take a springboard for making their own things
. And when she finally was able to do it, was quite prepared to make to do it properly. This woman - a classic creative genius, because she - a pioneer, striving for perfection, with a steadfast spirit. She intuitively felt that in the mid-70's was a shortage of clothing, suitable for business women. She had enough of taste, vision and temerity to fill the market, which has been deprived of things elegant, in the style and affordable.

. Klayborn said: "I get more pleasure, meeting on the street women dressed in costumes created by me than when I see these clothes on the covers of fashion magazines"
. She is one of the first to demonstrate that fashion - not art, but should be based on a creative approach to the needs of the mass consumer. She knew that women were not represented at all or are difficult to tell what clothes that they demonstrate a six-foot Hundred pound lean fashion models. More and more business women who wanted to wear clothes designed specifically for them, and which would have been first class and also in terms of practicality. Now it does not seem difficult, but in the mid-70's that time a fashion completely lose sight of this. Klayborn very clearly saw this need, but could not convince his superiors. She left work and listening to the inner voice, developed a new clothes for business women. And women everywhere have voted for it in dollars, showing that Liz Klayborn - genius, that buys its products in a total of vast amounts. Klayborn appealed to the masses, not to the propertied classes, and such a simple solution to complex problems brought her tremendous success.

. She was very worried about the fact that the buyer in the retail trade has received is accurate, but a comprehensive picture of high-quality clothing
. These features originate in her childhood - his father has trained her taste, elegance of style, while more practical mother insisted on strict performance objectives. This combination has made Liz Klayborn innovative genius who changed the world of fashion like no other in history. Brenda Gall, a senior industry expert in "Merill Lynch", summed up the success of her best: "Liz Klayborn - one of the greatest personalities of all time, not only in industry but also in the history of the stock market" ( "Vogue", 1986).

. BRIEF SUMMARY

. "Liz Claiborne, Inc." met all expectations and reached its zenith in 1990 when she was named the magazine "Fortune" among the hundred most profitable firms
. It reached such a high level in just 15 years. Initially, the 90-ies the level of firm sales to four times higher than that taken together the three closest competitors in the field of women's clothing industry. Liz Klayborn - the third largest manufacturer of clothing in the United States that sends goods 150 factories worldwide in 3500 retail outlets. She - the absolute leader in its market areas, which controls 33% of business in the United States to produce women's sportswear. Now the company is gaining international market in Canada, Europe, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. In 1992, export sales reached $ 102 million. All this became possible because a stubborn woman with a perfectly developed intuition would suggest other such clothes, which she herself would be. Her dream was to create a practical, high-style clothing for energetic business woman. The experts refused to believe her insight, so she found a partner, has invested the family savings and did everything herself.

. Fifteen years ago, everything would be laughing if someone said that the firm will lead the industry like no other in history
. Liz Klayborn - a sort of anomaly, it grew faster than any other company in the history of the industry, at a constant voltage control methods trade. This phenomenal company left its rivals in the wake of. Company specifically educates young girls modelersh. In 1992, an article in the magazine "Forbes", dedicated to the garment industry summarized the situation in the market this way: "If you're struggling with Liz Klayborn - this hopeless competition". "Forbes" named Liz Klayborn phenomenon after the company made women's clothing more than 1,2 billion dollars and $ 1 billion men's clothing and perfumes in 1992. No other manufacturer of women's clothing does not get even one billion dollars, while Liz Klayborn receives more than two. Her company outshines the others, Klayborn and her husband taken away from their share of the success of competitors. Their personal trading network, based on the holding operations, estimated the incredible sum of $ 200 million more in the first ten years of existence. They are a living embodiment of the Great American Dream.

Lucky couple left the management of the company since 1990, to spend more time on the "Ranch of tranquility" in Montana, where they were able to visit Turner. Retire to St. Bart's on the Virgin Islands and in an unpretentious house and guest cottage in the village of Salter on the Fire Islands. Arthur said in parting: "The sooner the company gets rid of our mythical infallibility, the better will it matter". They spent time as told them the environment, and philanthropic activities. They said at the departure from the company: "We are always going to leave before become a hindrance". How could a creative Seer, . that combines his childhood dream of art and fashion with the needs of a growing number of business women, . having made a revolution in the world of women's clothing, . become pomehoyN She first listened to the inner voice, . then - to consumers, . giving them something, . they wanted, . at a very reasonable price,
. This combination has created a story about one of the greatest successes in the history of business in the United States. Liz Klayborn - stubborn pervootkryvatelnitsa, creative genius. Her father would be proud of it.