Karen Paris

Karen Paris is a Senior Design Director, Denim at Sunrise Brands Inc., where she leads design for Sam Edelman, Rebecca Minkoff, Joie, and Diane Gilman. With more than 30 years of experience in the fashion industry, she has built a career centered on creative direction for denim brands spanning contemporary to mid-tier price points, skillfully translating trend and strategy into fully merchandised collections that stay on calendar and on budget. A graduate of Kent State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Fashion and Apparel Design, Paris relocated to New York in 1998 and launched her career at Calvin Klein working on CK Jeans.

Throughout her career, Paris has held senior design roles at some of the industry's most recognized names, including Gloria Vanderbilt, where she helped launch the Glow Jeans line and later earned the Star Award for Outstanding Employee, as well as Jordache, Liz Claiborne, Jones New York, and Diane Gilman. Her expertise spans denim, wovens, juniors, and children's wear, and she has taken on design director responsibilities at a private-label startup in addition to her long-standing work in denim leadership. Her multiple Vendor of the Year honors at HSN further reflect her consistent excellence and reliability within the industry.

Today, Paris oversees day-to-day design operations that include calendar and budget management, tech-pack review, sample tracking, vendor and buyer meetings, line presentations, fittings, and production oversight. She is deeply passionate about sustainable, recyclable, and circular design practices, and she continues to draw on her hands-on knowledge of denim fabric, fit, and wash to guide her teams. Outside of her professional accomplishments, Paris values community and mentorship, and finds personal joy in live music, museums, and creative projects with her family, including designing cosplay costumes with her daughter for Comic-Con.