Karen Walker pits arty school girls against working women for a youthful but ultra-sophisticated new fall collection

Karen Walker's fall 2013 collection was called New Rose, not only for its literal reference of this season's stand-alone print, but for its thorny representation of a new bloom, so to speak.
The New Zealand-born designer, who has built her tried-and-true womenswear brand around a formula of quirky prints, man-style trousers and off-beat ruffles on blouses, decided to take a slightly rebellious detour for yesterday's New York Fashion Week show.
For the first time, her eclectic prints took a back seat and instead, a mixture of high-tech fabrics took center stage - wooly knitwear, flannel, angora, neoprene and tweed were harmoniously mixed with conviction through dresses, oversize sweaters, tunics and tulip-shaped coats with raw hems.

 

 

Fine tuned melody: Karen Walker's fall 2013 collection was called New Rose - inspiration that came from The Damned and Siouxsie Sioux's post-punk tough kind of cuteness

Season after season, she has settled into her twee tomboy idiom like it's a favorite sweater (she told Vogue.com: ' If you don’t know what you’re doing after 22 seasons, you should go home,') but this time Ms Walker showed an 'alternative view to prettiness' that was equally as, if not more, compelling and covetable - basically, it was an instant upgrade to sophistication.

 

Bouncing off a mix of utility and romance, not rooted necessarily in masculinity, but, as the show notes explained: 'Art school girl vs. working girl,' she added equal parts grace and toughness.

 

 

Prints charming: The roses came literally, dripping with fresh paint. But this time they weren't small and sweet, they were loud and proud

 

 

 

Aging allue: Bouncing off a mix of utility and romance, not rooted necessarily in masculinity, but, as the show notes explained: 'Art school girl vs. working girl,' Ms Walker added equal parts grace and toughness

 

Quirky cool: Her rose print mini dress with a pleated neoprene hem and the simple je ne sais quoi of white crew-cut T-shirts poking out from the necklines of beautifully spun knitwear added freshness to army green
Like, for instance, the bright orange and zesty lime worn with army green; or a rose print mini dress with a pleated neoprene hem hidden under a heavy flannel wrap sleeve dress; down to the simple je ne sais quoi foundation for each outfit - a white crew-cut T-shirt poking out from the necklines of beautifully spun knitwear.
The roses came literally, dripping with fresh paint. But this time they weren't small and sweet, they were loud and proud.

 

 

Knit right: A mixture of high-tech fabrics took center stage - wooly knitwear, flannel, angora, neoprene and tweed were harmoniously mixed through dresses, oversize sweaters, tunics and coats with raw hems

 

 

Who's a lady: Ms Walker showed an 'alternative view to prettiness' that was equally as, if not more, compelling and covetable than usual -  it was an instant upgrade to sophistication

 

 

 

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 11: A model walks the runway at the Karen Walker fall 2013 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Pier 59 on February 11, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Brian Ach/Getty Images)

 

Welcome detour: Ms Walker sliced hems, took arms off jackets and re-purposed coats to create fresh but cohesive silhouettes outside of her usual realm, which, she says, came from The Damned and Siouxsie Sioux

 

Funny face: Models prepare backstage before the Karen Walker show

 

 

 

Horsing around: Backstage models let off a little pre-show steam in their first look outfits

 

Model looks: All the outfits lined up up backstage at the Karen Walker fall 2013 fashion show

'When we bring in a floral, it’s got that twist to it, so this one’s got that dribbly paint,' she said.
Like a fine-tuned melody, Ms Walker sliced hems, took arms off jackets and re-purposed coats to create fresh but cohesive new silhouettes, outside of her usual realm, which, she says, came from The Damned and Siouxsie Sioux's post-punk tough kind of cuteness.

New Zealand-born designer Karen Walker poses backstage before her fall 2013 collection at Pier 59 in New York

Models' eyes were embellished with neon orange and green liners, created especially by M.A.C for the show, which showcased some serious rumpled bed hair.
Bumble and Bumble stylist Laurent Philippon told Elle.com: 'The hair looks extremely messy and 'undone. But it takes a lot of work to make the girls look like they did nothing!'
Each look was topped off with a bubblegum-pink, rose-embossed clutch or a gigantic pair of sunglasses for a playful juxtaposition - the same sunglasses that have been the focus of KAren Walker's new Advanced Style campaign, where a cast of women aged between 65 and 92 were recently chosen to model her latest eyewear collection.
Joyce Carpati, Linda Rodin, Lynn Dell and Ilona Royce Smithkin, all sitting front-row during the show, were photographed by Ari Seth Cohen in the kooky and cult-worthy statement shades.
The idea behind the campaign was to demonstrate that 'Karen Walker is for everybody, of all ages,' a press release explained. And that is exactly what her fall collection succeed in.
The slouchy trousers, neoprene floral skirts, structured tweed tops and flannel wrap coats could easily translate into an eclectic mix of ideas for the young, the cute, the quirky, the professional, the lady, or somewhere in between for the rough and tumble - but Ms Walker tied them together seam