Interview: Karen Walker

Karen Walker at the launch party for her new sunglasses range. Picture / Kelly McAuliffe

We caught up with designer Karen Walker for a few quick words at the launch of her new eyewear range on the opening night of New Zealand Fashion Week.

What was the inspiration for this range of sunglasses compared to last year's range?

We really looked to the dictators and revolutionaries of the 60s and 70s... strong, classic, very masculine shapes, moving on from the round, soft feminine shapes of last season. These are quite angular.

What's your favourite style in the new range?

Very hard to say. I couldn't give you my favourite, I've got about four pairs of them! I can't make up my mind. It's quite fun, I have different ones for different moods.

What are your plans for the next little while?

Well, I just got back from New York Fashion Week a couple of days ago. (Walker showed her northern hemisphere summer range at New York Fashion Week, to glowing media reviews). I'm very happy with what we did there and now I've got to quickly finish off the southern hemisphere winter range. So it's all up on the board, it's designing for the next two weeks... then we'll be starting to think about our range to show in New York in February.

Were you happy with how the collection was received in New York last week?

Of course. Page A1 of the New York Times, it doesn't get much better than that! Cathy Horyn, one of the most important fashion writers in the world, saying it was a stand-out. Fantastic.

Although we're not seeing you at Fashion Week this year, what can we be looking forward to from you next year?

Well, we always work for the northern hemisphere first because that's the majority of our market, that's the shows we do first. So from the range we just showed in New York, we'll just do a winter-ised interpretation of that.

Thinking a little nearer in the future, what's the key item you'll be wearing from your summer range?

I'm really loving the dresses. We did heaps of dresses for this range, they were just feeling right.

Are you going to any other fashion shows this week?

I want to try and get along to Adrian's (Hailwood) and Des' (Des Rusk) shows. I've got a lot on this week, but I'm going to try my very best to make it.

And from your hectic time in New York, what are your survival tips for Fashion Week?

I had a lot of late nights and early mornings, I basically survived on stress! But when I'm in New York I generally only buy from an organic food store in Chelsea. So we always have a fully stocked kitchen full of organic food. Also just a lot of long dinners with good friends.