Karen Walker loves a utilitarian reference, so for fall she channeled acclaimed 20th-century photographer Berenice Abbott. Well-known for her borrowed-from-the-boys, “no-fuss utility with a good amount of joie de vivre” approach — as Walker stated in her show notes — Abbott served as the perfect muse for the collection’s functional-with-a-hint-of-glamour style.
For starters, the designer gave what could have been just another khaki shirt the right amount of flair with poet sleeves and a feminine red-plaid mid-length skirt as a complement; to the same effect, she paired wide-leg cropped khaki pants with a bell-sleeved printed top and Lurex turtleneck.
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But not everything was a balancing act — Walker also offered pure, soft dresses, including a great black silk tiered and ruffled maxi she called, “the Berenice dress.”
“It’s very androgynous, but there’s something feminine there, too,” she said of the lineup.