On Tuesday, June 26, the fashion industry lost one of its most influential female figures. Liz Claiborne, considered by many as the working woman’s best friend, died in New York after battling cancer for several years. Claiborne, along with her then-husband Arthur Ortenberg, started the Liz Claiborne women’s clothing brand at the height of the feminist movement in 1976.

Though Liz Claiborne wasn’t exactly considered high-end fashion, Claiborne’s life, career and accomplishments were celebrated by the likes of the Prada’s, Calvin Klein’s, Gucci’s and Oscar de la Renta’s of the fashion world. Claiborne’s mission was to "dress busy and active women like myself—women who dress in a rush and who weren’t perfect." In just 13 short years Claiborne exceeded the expectations of the entire fashion industry by turning a $250,000 clothing brand into $1 billion fashion juggernaut by the time of her retirement in 1986.

All of us here at Shoeflyer will surely miss Liz Claiborne and thank her for all she has done for women’s fashion. Read more about Liz Claiborne’s life and accomplishments in The LA Times.