Angus McDougall reflects on Karen Walker’s impact on the industry as she reimagines her iconic Runaway Pearls 25 years on.
There are very few designers who have shaped the way I see fashion quite like Karen Walker. From the moment I first pulled on one of her T-shirts back in 2000, I knew this was more than just a label – it was a language. A way of saying something bold, cheeky, and utterly stylish without even opening your mouth.
Karen is a trailblazer in New Zealand fashion. Her designs have always had that unmistakable wink – instantly recognisable, unapologetically hers. Who doesn’t know the Runaway Girl? That little figure with her bindle slung over her shoulder has walked across earrings, T-shirts, sweatshirts, and straight into our cultural memory. Her icons are more than logos – they’re badges of identity, wearable pieces of art that say, “I belong to this world, but on my own terms.”
What I’ve always admired most about Karen, though, isn’t just her design genius – it’s her personal style. She has that rare quality of being effortlessly cool. There’s no try-hard, no overthinking. It’s chic, it’s intelligent, and it sparkles with the same wit that runs through her brand. To me, Karen Walker the woman and Karen Walker the label are inseparable – both endlessly inspiring. Even stepping into her stores feels like entering her world. Every detail is considered, every moment is part of a journey that’s modern, clever, and unmistakably chic.
Personally, Karen’s designs have been with me through so many chapters of my life. I’ve worn them for years, and they’ve always felt right because they transcend binaries. My own style leans androgynous, and her pieces play beautifully in that space. Whether it’s a crisp oversized shirt, a sharply cut jacket, or one of her cult accessories, they all carry that balance between masculine and feminine that I find endlessly wearable.
That’s why I’m especially excited about the re-release of one of my all-time favourites – the Runaway Pearls. The original design came out in the Etiquette collection of 2000, and I still remember how much I loved wearing that T-shirt with the broken pearls cascading across the front. Twenty-five years later, seeing it come back feels like a full-circle moment.
This time, the pearls spill across silk crêpe-de-Chine blouses with chic pussy bows, sleeveless cowl tops, and her much-loved oversized Walker shirt. They loop across a satin bomber jacket that brings a sporty edge, and onto everyday staples like T-shirts and sweatshirts in organic cotton. The accessories are equally irresistible – silk scarves, a scrunchie with a dangling pearl, socks, and even a Blunt umbrella dressed in pearls. It’s clever, playful, and unmistakably Karen.
Karen Walker has always been more than a brand to me. She’s proof that fashion can be iconic and personal all at once – and 25 years on, her pearls still shine just as brightly.
