Karen Walker
REVIEW
COMPLETE COLLECTION
NEW YORK, February 14, 2009
By Meenal Mistry
She's "Cracked." That was the theme of Karen Walker's show, which had its beginnings in the designer's decade-deep archive, from which she unearthed a favorite print of a broken strand of pearls. "We love the beauty that comes out of catastrophe," said Walker backstage, "and the brittle nature of things."The first look out was anything but broken-down: a quite pulled-together square-shouldered and square-bodied trench over black cigarette pants, punctuated by lipstick-red patent pumps. Soon enough, though, the fissures began to appear—in the crackled leather of a black motorcycle jacket, the breakaway flaps on jersey tops that hung below boxy jackets, and Walker's charming graphics (including the resurrected pearls and a colorful new shattered-china-plate print).
She tempered her gone-to-pieces motif with strong and simple silhouettes and, right on trend, paid close attention to the shoulder with a princess sleeve on steroids that appeared on cute sweatshirt dresses and built up in petal-like layers on smart little shifts. It was a strong collection with loads of sellable yet quirky separates. And, frankly, is there a better time for fashion that celebrates the beauty that can blossom after things fall apart?
/
/
/
see all designers ›
Fall 2009 Ready-to-Wear
#
|
A
|
B
|
C
|
D
|
E
|
F
|
G
|
H
|
I
|
J
|
K
|
L
|
M
|
N
|
O
|
P
|
R
|
S
|
T
|
U
|
V
|
W
|
Y
|
Z
|
-
#
3.1 Phillip Lim -
A
-
B
-
C
-
D
-
E
Elie Saab Elie Tahari Elise Øverland Emanuel Ungaro Emilio Pucci Emporio Armani Erdem Erin Fetherston Etro -
F
Fendi Francesco Scognamiglio -
G
Gap Gareth Pugh Giambattista Valli Gianfranco Ferré Giles Giorgio Armani Givenchy Graeme Black G-Star Gucci -
H
Haider Ackermann Halston Helmut Lang Hermès Hervé Léger by Max Azria House of Holland Hussein Chalayan Hutson -
I
Iceberg Io Ipse Idem Isaac Mizrahi Isabel Marant Issa Issey Miyake -
J
-
K
Kai Kühne Karen Walker Karl Lagerfeld Katy Rodriguez Kenzo Kinder Aggugini Koi Suwannagate Kris Van Assche -
L
L'Wren Scott Lacoste Lanvin Lela Rose Libertine Limi Feu Loewe Louise Goldin Louis Vuitton Luca Luca Luella Luisa Beccaria Lutz & Patmos Lyn Devon -
M
-
N
Naeem Khan Nanette Lepore Narciso Rodriguez Nathan Jenden Nicole Miller Nina Ricci -
O
Ohne Titel Organic by John Patrick Oscar de la Renta Ossie Clark -
P
Paul Smith Women Peter Jensen Peter Pilotto Peter Som Phi Philosophy Pollini Ports 1961 Prabal Gurung Prada Preen Pringle of Scotland Proenza Schouler -
R
-
S
Salvatore Ferragamo Shipley & Halmos Sinha-Stanic Sonia Rykiel Sophia Kokosalaki Sophie Theallet Stærk Stella McCartney Stephen Burrows -
T
Tao Temperley London Thakoon Threeasfour Tibi Todd Lynn Tommy Hilfiger Topshop Unique Tory Burch Tracy Reese Trovata TSE Tuleh Twenty8Twelve -
U
Undercover United Bamboo -
V
-
W
William Rast Wunderkind -
Y
Y-3 Yigal Azrouël Yohji Yamamoto Yves Saint Laurent -
Z
Zac Posen Zero + Maria Cornejo
ERROR:
