KarenWalker

“Contemporary clothes for grown-up women are very important for spring/summer 2006, but the youth/junior market also needs heroes. The WGSN womenswear team was very impressed with New Zealand designer Karen Walker, who managed to pull off a collection based on some of the strongest trends of the season without being obvious. Walker gave cool girls what they want with a quirky take on ska refer­ences, a high-waisted, slimline silhouette and retro graphic knitwear. Walker’s collection, along with Jessica Ogden’s, has creative commercial appeal without being pantomime, and illus­trates that what London is about today is cool streetwear-inspired fashion labels that can more than hold their own with the likes of Undercover and marc by Marc Jacobs”
 — WGSN — KW included in round up of the top 5 shows of the season

“Karen Walker’s show is one of London’s hottest tickets; long gone are the days when people drifted in out of curiosity to see what someone who had travelled so far might do! Now you’ve got American and British Vogue, Style.com, The Telegraph, The Observer and The Times all vying for the front row seats. And she doesn’t disap­point. This season’s very pretty summer dresses, that somehow always have a bit of an edge, are bound to turn up on next on London’s indie actresses and singers. Then there’s her skinniest of skinny jeans, plus great feather­weight knitwear and the cutest socks — the latter bound to be adored by her Japanese customers.”
 — Marion Hume, Contributor for TIME MAGAZINE STYLE AND DESIGN

‘This collection was the consummate collision of attitude and aptitude – everything Karen Walker has ever promised was delivered… the bad girl has grown up into an irres­istible woman.”
 — Tim Blanks, Host, FASHION FILE

“Skinny jeans, striped dungarees and pretty camisoles worn over cute bikinis proved this Kiwi has her finger firmly on London’s fashion pulse. The real highlights, however, were the sweet, sassy frocks that are fast becoming Walker’s trademark — prom-style, drop-waisted or wrapped with wide ribbon sashes, the dresses got better and better, and we loved every one.”
 — VOGUE.COM

“Karen Walker took a retro vibe and gave it an easy, eminently wearable, youthful twist for her spring/summer showing. All the key trends that started life on the New York runways last week were in evidence, including sweet, waisted dresses, simple eyelet cotton and easy, cuffed shorts. Walker’s eye for offbeat colour mixes — here aubergine, griege, navy, teal, ginger and apple — worked well for her mismatched flowered prints, stripes and chequer­board patterns. Pinstriped dark-dye denim worked well for the signature high-waisted jeans made famous by JLo’s curves and for the cute bib-and-brace skirts, while a subtle American sportswear vibe came through in the soft dirndl skirts and rolled-sleeve tees.”
 — WGSN

“Really, really strong collection; beautiful prints, exquisite dresses; sweet without being saccharine and always with an edge to it”
 — Cat Callender, Fashion Writer, INDEPENDENT

“Really enjoyed it”
 — Jess Cartner-Morley, Fashion Editor, THE GUARDIAN

“There’s so much here to shoot!”
 — Jenny Dyson, European Editor, TEEN VOGUE

“Really lovely, lots that I want to order”
 — Erika Kurihara, Fashion Editor, i-D MAGAZINE

“Loads of fun and ideas as usual”
 — Designer ZANDRA RHODES

“Very good, partic­u­larly the dresses”
 — David Hayes, Deputy Fashion Editor, EVENING STANDARD (London)

“Really good show and a strong collection”
 — Matthew Murphy, Head of Buying, b STORE (London)

“That was great! Fabulous dresses and looks”
 — Yasmin Sewell, Buyer, BROWNS FOCUS

“Good direction and depth; she has really estab­lished herself on the London schedule”
 — Susanne Tide-Frater, Creative Director, HARRODS

“Lovely, sweet and cool”
 — ÝLuisa De Paula, Creative Director, LIBERTY

“Great; loved it all”
 — ÝRebecca Lowthorpe, Features Editor, ELLE (UK)