Since launching her eponymous label a
little over a decade ago, New Zealand-based designer Karen Walker has shown
collections inspired by Annie Hall, Amelia Earhart, pickpockets and
revolutionaries, Ally Sheedy’s character in “The Breakfast Club, and 1930s
comic book super heroines.
The thread that ties them all together? Walker’s coolly nonchalant aesthetic and devotion to unique prints - designed with her creative director hubby, Mikhail Gherman - and great tailoring, which results in fashionably effortless clothing that stylish girls (Sienna Miller, Cate Blanchett, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Liv Tyler, Madonna, Kate Winslet) can’t get enough of.
In addition to her twice-yearly runway shows (which relocated from London to New York Fashion Weeks a few years ago), Walker also designs eyewear, cosmetics, jewelry and even a paint collection, all of which are sold throughout the US, UK, Asia, Australia and, of course, her native New Zealand.
The Fashion Informer caught up with the real-life fashion heroine a few weeks before Christmas to see how she manages to juggle motherhood, work and all the rest of it.
So, Karen…
Biggest different between living/working in New Zealand and New York?
The physical isolation.
What
books are currently on your nightstand?
Virginia Woolf's “Flush.” I love her
and this is a tiny and slightly silly biography of her friend's spaniel. It's
only 100 pages long but it's been on my nightstand for months as I very rarely
get to read these days. My other book is “What To Expect Of the Toddler Years,” which
gives a hint as to why I haven't finished the Virginia Woolf yet.
Sean
Connery or Daniel Craig?
Daniel Craig. Going to see the new
one on Thursday. Can't wait.
What's
your favorite flower?
Frangipani.
What's
your material of choice when sketching your designs?
2b pencil and a Zeta pad.
What
did you do last weekend and what are your plans for this weekend?
Summer's just started here. Last weekend was beautiful. We had our first weekend by the pool at home and I swam on both days. Also did a little yoga, a mani/pedi, some cookie baking and had a few glasses of wine. Heaven. Next weekend, hopefully a repeat.
What
did you have for lunch today?
A pumpkin and arugula sandwich.
How
long does it take you to get ready for work in the morning (from the time you
get up to the time you leave the house)?
About two hours. The baby wakes at 6.30
and from then 'til nanny arrives at 8.30 it's a crazy jumble involving toy
boxes, steamed pear and raisins all over the floor.
Ocean
or mountains?
I live in the mountains but I love
the ocean, too, which thankfully is only 20 minutes away.
How
do you relax/recharge after a long, hard day?
“Coronation Street.” It's one of the longest running soaps in the world, set in Manchester. I've been watching it since I was in the womb.
Please
look up from your computer (or wherever you're answering these questions) and
describe what you see around you.
Mountains.
Tell
me about your best friend.
He leaves his socks all over the
floor and has a terrible memory and isn't very good at unloading the
dishwasher. He's also colorblind. But he's a genius and I love him.
Please
tell me about your favorite item of clothing or jewelry and why it's so special
to you.
My Karen Walker gold runaway girl
pendant. I wear her every day and she brings me luck.
If
you found $15,000 cash in a brown paper bag, how would you spend it?
Six months ago I would have said put
it in the bank but now I'd say bury it in the backyard.
What
never fails to make you cry?
Mean things happening to puppies and
kittens in movies.
When are you happiest?
Last weekend when I was having my first swim of summer.
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