Donna Karan says leaving her company was ''heartbreaking''.

The 67-year-old founder of Donna Karan International quit as chief designer just a few months ago and Karan admitted it was difficult to say goodbye.

Writing in her new autobiography, 'My Journey', Donna explained: ''I knew I'd be sad, but it was truly heartbreaking. I had to say goodbye to the people who have become my family, who have stood beside me through every professional up and down, every good and bad review, and the many CEOs and management teams.''

And when asked what the lowest time of her career was, Donna - who was fired from Anne Klein in 1984 - said: ''Probably now. This is the most difficult time. I never expected it to be as difficult. Leaving Anne Klein was impossible. I thought I would die. I never had anything harder in my life than that. I thought I was Anne Klein. I designed Anne Klein longer than Anne Klein.''

However, there are some perks to leaving the company, namely that she can now indulge her love of travel.

Donna told WWD: ''I kept having all these fantasies of everything I wanted to do, and as the clock was ticking, I was concerned. I think that was always a question for me.

''I'm embarrassed to say I've never been to China. I want to see Cuba, I want to see Chile. I've never been to South America. I've never been to Brazil. There are a lot of places I've never been to. I'm dying to go to Papua New Guinea and want to take a boat ride to Asia.''