[4][5] Having left school at the age of 16, she started her career as a personal assistant at a property development company.
[10] In 2014, the Donna Ida brand expanded its denim offerings to include more low-rise jean options.
[11] In 2016, the designer collaborated with high street retailer Jaeger to launch a new denim collection.
[15] The pair purchased the 16th century grade II listed Langdon Court Hotel in 2021.
[16][17] Thornton is a patron of Jeans for Genes,[18] and helps to raise money for the charity Genetic Disorders UK.