Carrie Donovan, whose four-year run as an advertising icon overshadowed more than 40 years as a fashion editor and writer, died in New York yesterday. She was 73.
Since 1997, Donovan was one of the featured performers in a series of Old Navy ads, captured in a variety of situations, many with a dog named Magic. The ad campaign was considered one of the fundamental building blocks in Old Navy's rise from discounter to fashion trend-setter in the late 1990s. “She gave us fashion credibility,” said Dennis Leggett, Old Navy creative director.
Donovan, who probably gave Old Navy more fashion cachet than many younger viewers realized, had covered the fashion scene as reporter and editor for The New York Times, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and The New York Times Sunday Magazine. She also worked briefly as a public relations executive for Bloomingdale's in the 1970s. She was a protŽgŽ of fashion doyenne Diana Vreeland from 1963 (when she joined Vogue after eight years with The Times fashion section) until 1971, when Vreeland was fired by the magazine.
Donovan is credited for bringing to Tiffany's attention Elsa Peretti in 1974. She felt Peretti's contemporary jewelry would bring a new customer to the venerable retailer. Today, Tiffany's sells about $250 million worth of Peretti designs. She is also credited with discovering and helping bring to prominence Donna Karan.
Donovan, a native of Lake Placid, N.Y., graduated from Parsons School of Design in 1950. Her first job was in the hat department at Saks Fifth Avenue under Tatiana Liberman.