Karen Walker Brings Utilitarian Glam to New York Fashion Week

I’ve always been a fan of New Zealand-based brand Karen Walker ever since I saw one of her ads for her eye-catching, oversized sunglasses while flipping through a magazine one day. It wasn’t until very recently that I found out that she also does a ready-to-wear collection.

As it turns out, this Fall/Winter 2016 season marked Walker’s 20th season showing at NYFW. Her collection, titled ‘Magnetic’ was inspired by American photographer- Berenice Abbott, who was known for her for portraits and black-and-white New York City cityscapes and architecture during the 1930s.

According to the Karen Walker team, “Berenice possessed an aesthetic that never faltered through the decades – utilitarian with an air of androgynous chic.” The collection consisted of calf-length pencil skirts, coats daintily belted at the waist, billowy jumpsuits and pants, print mixing, texture mixing, layering and of course, models rocking the brand’s signature eyewear.

What immediately drew me to the collection was the bright red grid print belted coat and calf-length pencil skirt with dark tan blouse with balloon sleeves. I also loved the mixing of patterns and textures, with emphasis on metallic and leather fabrics. I would consider this a pragmatic collection, with pieces that can be taken from season-to-season and can be effortlessly styled for multiple occasions.

Who knew turtlenecks and banana pants (pants with accentuation on the hips) could look so chic?!