KEY POINTS:
Karen Walker has just finished a well-earned break.
Having shown her collection at New York Fashion Week two weeks ago, she went on to Kentucky to give a talk entitled "The Meaning of Fashion" at a conference called the IdeaFestival. Walker and her husband are just back from "enjoying a few days at a friend's house upstate, sitting by a lake in the Catskills [mountainous area near New York]".
She arrived back in Auckland in time for her end-of-Fashion-Week party, during which guests will see a screening of her New York runway show.
"We're looking forward to catching up and having a few drinks with all our buddies here [in Auckland]," says Walker, who will be on the juice and water as she is expecting her first child, "and having a last big knees-up before I step out of the fast lane for a few months with baby."
1. Omega Speedmaster.
These days people don't need watches in the way they once did - mostly you have a phone, BlackBerry or computer close at hand so wearing a watch is now more than ever an aesthetic decision. I went for about 10 years without wearing a watch but I recently got an Omega Speedmaster and I love it - in part because of its look but also because of its story. Chosen by Nasa for its Apollo missions, it was worn by Neil Armstrong when he stepped on to the moon and has been used on every Apollo space mission since.
2. Runaway Girl pendant from Karen Walker Jewellery collection.
Our little Runaway Girl is a favourite in all her incarnations, and nine days out of 10 I wear my small gold Runaway Girl pendant. She has been our mascot for a long time and is a symbol of the Karen Walker philosophy. Mikhail [Gherman, Karen's husband] drew her about seven years ago and she's about adventure, individuality and always looking for something new.
3. New season Karen Walker eyewear.
I have a lot of favourites in the new season's range but my top pair would have to be Super Strength in yellow. I love that these glasses have no fear and are full of optimism.
4. Photos.
I've been building up a small collection of photographs by New Zealand artists and I have a lot of favourites among them - Michael Parekowhai, Derek Henderson, Deborah Smith, Mark Smith and Alistair Guthrie especially. A lot of them I have at home but I've also allowed some of them to go into our stores.
5. Lexus RX400H car.
It's all about the hybrid for me these days and I adore my Lexus RX400H. Mostly because it's halved my carbon emissions but also because it's a beautifully designed car that's sensational to drive.
6. New season's dresses by Karen Walker.
Being pregnant means getting dressed each day has a whole new set of challenges but luckily there are a lot of dresses from our range this season with a short, boxy silhouette that have proven to be perfect preggy wear.
7. Harper's Bazaar magazines.
Many years ago a dear friend of mine gave me his large collection of US Harper's Bazaars dating from the late 30s to the early 70s. Many of the gaps I've managed to fill in over the years so my collection is almost complete. I can't think of a magazine since Harper's that can compare to it in terms of design - the team of editor Carmel Snow (and later Diana Vreeland) alongside art director Alexey Brodovitch and photographer Richard Avedon was and is especially strong. The rest of its contributors, including Andy Warhol, Man Ray, Evelyn Waugh, Salvador Dali and Arthur Miller, all help to make this magazine uncompromising and unsurpassed.
8. To Sir With Love cashmere.
Once you've had cashmere it's hard to go back to wool and my To Sir With Love cashmere pieces seldom go a day without an outing. Fine gauge, high quality and totally simple and modern. Designed by my friends Margot Davies and Katie Lockhart, we love To Sir With Love.
9. Sweetpea Home.
I adore what Sweetpea Home are doing and we're thrilled to be working with them and to have Sweetpea Home for Karen Walker pieces in our stores. My favourites are most definitely the owls and the dolls because they have an irresistible charm and individuality. I love that the dolls capture the mood of the collection and how could you not love the owls? Owls have been part of our symbolism for a long time - in jewellery and print - and there are a lot of native owls around my house, I always go to sleep to the sound of them. Gorgeous.
10. Little Fella.
I bought this wonderful carving by [local artist] Lee Ralph a few years back and I do adore it. He always makes me smile and, according to Lee, brings me luck. I also love that he's in such a traditional Maori style but he's got this strangely colloquial name. Lee told me he was carved from Canadian wood from an old diesel ship that sank in Auckland harbour. You can still smell the diesel on him.
