Carrie Donovan (
March 22,
1928 -
November 12,
2001) was style editor for
The New York Times Magazine, best 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
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.