New York stories

Karen Walker's show ran smoothly at this year's New York Fashion Week. Photo / Supplied

You could forgive Karen Walker for being a tad frazzled after presenting her collection at New York Fashion Week last month. Fashion shows aren't exactly the most calming things to work on - the backstage area is notorious for being a panicked blur of models, makeup artists and general hangers-on. But like everything Walker does, her New York showing seemed almost effortless, in complete contrast to the craziness of some other shows: Marc Jacobs freaked out the front row by starting his show one minute early, several shows featured the now common Fashion Week spectacle of models falling over, and the organisers of Barbie's 50th birthday show annoyed media by inviting half of New York (and their children). But Walker is far more in control than Barbie. She lets us in on what happened before, during and after her show.

The prep

This was Walker's sixth season showing in New York, so by now she has a routine sorted. Heathermary Jackson styled the show again, her fifteenth season with the label. Walker aims to use the same casting director each season, show at the same venue, stay in the same hotel, work with the same hair and makeup directors and often uses models who have already walked in Karen Walker shows. Er, but doesn't that get boring? "We like the team to be the same as possible from season to season so we can keep the surprises and newness to what's on the runway," says Walker. Fair call. Walker arrives in New York with the collection six days out from show day, but pre-production (all the boring stuff that involves lighting and invitations) on the show began about six months ago.

On show day, Walker is her usual calm self - while most people would be panicked and cracked out on coffee by 7am, we can imagine Walker sitting serenely in her hotel room drinking some exotic tea. "Before the show there's a lot to think about, but it's pretty calm - we like a well-produced, unchaotic pre-production,"says Walker. "The venue we usually show at [this was the fourth season Walker showed at the Altman Building] has a huge backstage area, so even though there are more than 100 people backstage it feels spacious and calm. Everyone's focused on the job they have to do...

"All I have to do prior to the show is make sure my assistants have the clothes under control, make sure the casting director has the models there on time, check the lighting, check the sound, check the hair and makeup under the lights, see the walk-through with the models and be backstage during the show to do final checks." Simple, right?

The show

In previous years Walker and her team have had to deal with "cab strikes, snow storms, hurricanes, leaking roofs and total set rebuilds in one hour", but no such drama this time around. There are the usual naughty late models (only one this season), but apart from that it's all about the clothes. And sometimes the music. Walker and her team always mix a great track list; this year the show featured the tracks Karen by The Go-Betweens, She Cracked by Jonathan Richman and Helter Skelter by The Beatles. "We like the mood of the music to be pacey and energetic."

The collection, called She's Cracked, began with a print from the Karen Walker archive. Long-term Walker fans will recognise the broken pearl print, which first appeared in the 2000 range, Etiquette. "Its essence is creating beauty out of catastrophe, and we felt that for this season this was a great starting point. We built on that idea with other prints in the same story: broken china and broken crystal, which look almost like abstracted florals." Shoulder detail is also key, from sculptured petals to puff sleeves to peaked tailored jackets. It's a very strong range for Walker, polished and grown-up with just the right amount of whimsy (in store towards the middle of the year).

Post-show

One word: "Relief." As soon as the last model is off the runway and the music is over, fashion writers scramble backstage to get the low-down on the range. "By the time I come up for air, the place is generally empty of our team and the producers have started prepping for the next show. I take my coat and get in a cab back to the production apartment," says Walker. Then she heads to the after-show party - "quiet drinks" for 150 or so people at a bar at the Soho Grand. "After that I go out to dinner with friends and try to be in bed by midnight."

And with that, Walker's NYFW adventure is done for another season.