Introduction
Carrie Donovan (March 22, 1928 – November 12, 2001) was an American fashion editor for Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and The New York Times Magazine. Later in her life she became known for her work in Old Navy commercials where she wore her trademark large eyeglasses and black clothing, often declaring the merchandise "Fabulous!". In almost all of the commercials, she appeared alongside Magic the dog and various other stars from TV and fashion.
She was portrayed as a parody by Ana Gasteyer on an episode of Saturday Night Live.
Career
Carolyn Gertrude Amelia Donovan was born in Lake Placid, New York. When Donovan was just 10 years old, she mailed her own sketches for a design collection to the actress Jane Wyman, who replied with a handwritten letter. She later attended the Parsons School of Design, graduating in 1950. She worked as a journalist for 30 years but always wrote her copy out by hand, because she never got the hang of the typewriter.
Donovan gained recognition as a style editor for Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and the New York Times Magazine. She was known for being able to quickly recognize talent, being among the first to praise the work of designers Donna Karan and Perry Ellis. It was her work for Old Navy, however, that brought her into the public eye.