URBAN ZEN KICKS OFF HOLIDAY MARKETPLACE

Urban Zen Kicked Off Its Holiday Marketplace with a Cocktail Celebration Co-hosted by Founder Donna Karan and Dr. Frank Lipman

On the evening of Monday, December 11th, Urban Zen kicked off its holiday marketplace with a private cocktail celebration hosted by Urban Zen founder Donna Karan and  Dr. Frank Lipman, the founder and director of the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City and the author of many New York Times-bestselling books.

Guests enjoyed Veuve Cliquot and hors d'oeuvres while perusing the beautifully curated selection of artisan products from around the world – including Bali, Nepal, Africa, Haiti, Thailand, Italy, and South Africa. The selection includes art, books, handmade accessories, home decor, furniture, objects of desire, as well as Urban Zen's latest fashion collection. Dr. Lipman's BE WELL Health coaches were on-site to discuss how to be well in the New Year, and Urban Zen Integrative Therapists (UZITs) treated guests to mini healing sessions of Reiki and essential oil therapy.

Hugh Jackman, fresh off the heels of his Golden Globe nomination for his work on the film, "The Greatest Showman," stopped by with his wife, Deborra-Lee Furness. Also in attendance were jewelry designer John Hardy, author Sophia Ruan Gushee, and Luxury magazine Editor in Chief Deborah Frank, among others.

The Urban Zen Holiday Experience is a manifestation of conscious consumerism. Each year, the Marketplace celebrates artists and inspires people to buy something that has meaning – whether handmade, holding a specific expression or meaning, made from unique materials or through organic and recycled materials, and more. This year the experience features over 30 vendors all hand selected by the Urban Zen team.

Urban Zen's philosophy is to give back by preserving cultures, integrating wellness and empowering children through education. Because of its philanthropic commitment, Urban Zen encourages people to "Shop with Purpose," and will donate 10% of the proceeds from the event, and the month-long December shopping experience to the Urban Zen Foundation, which Donna Karan created in 2007 to help preserve artisan cultures globally and provide vocational education.

The Holiday Experience is open to the public through Saturday, December 23rd. For more information please visit:  https://urbanzen.com/holiday-experience/

About the Urban Zen Center

Fashion icon and humanitarian Donna Karan founded Urban Zen in 2007. The foundation is dedicated to three initiatives: preservation of culture (past), and bringing mind, body and spirit to healthcare (present) and education (future.) The groundbreaking Urban Zen Integrative Therapy (UZIT) Program integrates eastern healing modalities with western science, with over 700 certified therapists of varying levels working throughout the country. After Haiti's 2010 earthquake, Karan became passionately involved with The Clinton Global Initiative to develop and support sustainable artisan opportunities in Haiti, culminating in 2015, when Karan collaborated with her alma mater, Parsons School of Design, to open the Haitian vocational education center called D.O.T. (Design Organization Training).

Urban Zen is, in part, supported by the luxe Urban Zen brand and stores, a harmony of philanthropy and commerce, an idea Karan cultivated through her leadership on Seventh on Sale, the CFDA AIDS benefit, Kids for Kids carnival for Pediatric AIDS, and Super Saturday, an annual Hamptons tag sale, Karan founded with Liz Tilberis to benefit Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

A world traveler, a lifelong yogi, as well as mother and grandmother, Karan considers Urban Zen the realization of her dream not just to dress people, but to address them as well. Karan candidly shares her personal and professional story in her 2015 autobiography, My Journey (Ballantine/Random House.)