Fashion designer LIZ CLAIBORNE died on Tuesday morning (26Jun07). She was 78. The cause of death has not yet been released as we went to press.

Belgian-born Claiborne and her family moved to the United States when she was 10 and was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. After studying art in Europe, Claiborne returned to the U.S. in 1949 and started her fashion career by sketching designs at sportswear firm Tina Leser. Claiborne started her own namesake label in 1976 and ran the fashion house until she retired in 1989. She is survived by her second husband Art Ortenberg.

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