Karen Walker has always been one of those designers who holds her own verve dear. As the call of traditional trends becomes somewhat obsolete, it's a trait that's paying dividends. Her taste for bygone pop culture makes her collections quiet, yes, but with a charming sense of kitsch that has secured a cult following. Designing from her native New Zealand, Walker imbues her nostalgia-tinged collections with a subtle discretion. Inspired by her newfound love of skiing in Coronet Peak, Queenstown, retro ski echoes could be felt in the ribbed cuffed jeans and elasticated-waist miniskirts. Chalet culture was hinted at in the demure flame-print day dresses and her updates of the ski knit (with rave-bright diamonds adding an unexpected pop to basic black). “I was more interested in the suggestion of sport and movement,” explains Walker. The ruffled putty leather did seem a little off-piste to the alpine mood.
Her seventies romanticism aside, Walker's business is built on her expanding accessories range, namely handbags and supersize sunglasses with her signature arrow motif. “The arrow’s a symbol of what our brand stands for—optimism, energy, and an intrepid nature,” says Walker. With tan satchel bags at less than $500 (the most expensive bag is the tote style at $545), Walker is cannily giving her fans something to smile about.
