Karen Walker signs up for NZ Fashion Week

Karen Walker will show for the first time at New Zealand Fashion Week.

The inclusion of the tall poppy of the local design scene in the October event's line-up was announced at the launch last night and should help fuel international buyer and media interest in attending.

In all, 50 designers - including other high-profile local success stories such as Trelise Cooper, Zambesi, Kate Sylvester and World - will take to the catwalks in Auckland for four days of industry trade shows, followed by Fashion Friday when the public gets the chance to see what's in store for winter 2004.

An extra day has been added to the collections this year to allow overseas buyers more time to confirm their orders. Last year sales of $10 million were written up during the week alone, with estimates by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise that the event overall was worth $40 million to the fashion industry.

"In terms of being a global marketer and a really established brand, [Walker] builds on the already recognised designers that are participating," says L'Oreal Fashion Week managing director Pieter Stewart.

Buyers from as far afield as Britain have confirmed they are coming for the event, now in its third year. "They will be looking for the lesser-known labels," Mrs Stewart says.

In the wings

* Karen Walker - who does 90 per cent of her business overseas and has won endorsements from celebrities including Kate Winslet, Kelly Osbourne and Madonna - speaks exclusively to Viva in the Print edition of today's Herald about why she thinks the time is now right to show at home.

* The New Zealand Herald is a sponsor of Fashion Week and will bring readers behind-the-scenes news of the build-up to fashion's big event and daily coverage of the shows, which start on October 19.