Helen Aboah named chief executive of Donna Karan's Urban Zen

Urban Zen has a new chief executive officer. The lifestyle retailer founded by Donna Karan has appointed Helen Aboah as its head executive, effective immediately. She will lead brand positioning, merchandising and product driven strategies to help create a unique platform for female consumers, based on Karan's creative vision for the company.

"I'm so excited to have Helen Aboah join Urban Zen, as a woman for women, understanding women today. Her expertise in building brands and leading teams while also being a wife, mother, friend, and visionary is what makes her an incomparable leader," Karan, who currently serves as Urban Zen's chief creative officer, said in a statement.

Aboah previously served as executive vice president at Alexander Wang and executive at LVMH/Donna Karen Intl. She brings decades of experience to Urban Zen, with a proven track record of promoting growth for luxury brands.

"It's exciting to be joining forces with Donna Karan to lead Urban Zen through the next phase of growth," Aboah noted. "Donna is not only an icon but a visionary that has always been ahead of her time with concepts that have changed the way consumers dress, shop, and live: from her original seven easy pieces, buy-now-wear-now, wellness and yoga and now conscious consumerism. Through Urban Zen we have the opportunity to connect the dots between Donna's timeless aesthetic, artisan craftsmanship, and philanthropic efforts."

Image courtesy of Urban Zen