Career
In 1994, recognizing the then-limited clothing options available to fashion-forward women, Chaiken teamed with a friend, Pamela Capone, to found Chaiken and Capone. Chaiken and Capone's first offering included a successful line of pants, which were described as "revolutionizing the pants market."[5][6][7][8]
Initially, Capone focused on design while Chaiken focused on the business and business strategy. In 1998, she bought out Capone; by 1999, the line was being carried in more than 400 boutiques and high-end retailers,[8] including Barneys New York, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom. Chaiken, while primarily focused on growing the company, subsequently expanded her role as CEO to include clothing and accessory design.[9][10]
In 2001, at the request of Chaiken clients including Cindy Crawford and Vendela, Chaiken created a maternity line, Chaiken With Child.[11] Chaiken and Capone's signature pants, with elastic in the waistband, and an "emphatic lack of ugly front pouches," were successful and orders at high-end department mandated wide production. The Chaiken with Child spring collection in 2012 represented 15% of Chaiken and Capone's overall sales.[12]
In 2008, Chaiken—a single mother of two—went on a two-year hiatus. Returning to the company in 2010, she reconfigured her late-1990s dress line Anonymity to include all categories and relaunched it through QVC.[13] A ready-to-wear collection returned to the market in 2010 and, although successfully relaunched as Chaiken and Capone,[5] the company became known as simply Chaiken in 2012.[10][14][15][16]
In 2014, she was honored as a "Woman to Watch" by Jewish Women International.[17]
In 2015, she retired from fashion to focus on her family and her philanthropic work.
