Fashion week end sparks controversy

By JANETTA MacKAY and FIONA HAWTIN

Fashion Week's final show turned into a circus last night, with overseas buyers walking out of Karen Walker's carnival-themed show.

Others applauded the cheek of the high-profile designer in staging a product launch rather than the expected runway event.

Walker, the tall poppy of New Zealand fashion who has concentrated on building her profile in the Northern Hemisphere, was taking part in the three-year-old L'Oreal-sponsored event for the first time.

Hundreds of buyers, media and VIP guests crammed into a Parnell recording studio expecting to be wowed. After waiting an hour for the show to start, many left quickly when confronted with video screens launching a jewellery range and no show of seeing a small group of models posing on a carousel at one end of a crowded room.

"It's a bloody joke," said a New York buyer, who walked out followed by other overseas guests.

"I just think it's pretentious. It's what in my office we call 'too cool for school'," said British In Style magazine editor and expat Louise Chunn. "I couldn't see anything."

After the half-hour carousel ride ended, Karen Walker fended off criticism, saying: "I didn't want to do a big fashion show and I can do what I want.

"I just wanted something a little bit different than a big white runway and some frocks."

Chunn said the stunt was not unlike what a young designer might pull in London and while she liked the jewellery, "if I was a New Zealand person, which I am, coming to see this, I would feel disappointed".

An American guest said that it was "asinine to make people wait nearly an hour for nothing".

"For the amount of money it would have cost them to put up a rig of lights they should give us all a Karen Walker outfit."

The show goodie bags for VIP guests contained no more than a press release and a postcard.

Other guests were more forgiving. Jane Roarty of Australian Harper's Bazaar said such an event was not untoward internationally and she would stay to enjoy the after-party.

"I love her, she's brilliant, she's giving us a party."

Herald Feature: New Zealand Fashion Week

L'Oreal New Zealand Fashion Week official site