Heritage
A house, in its own words
Karen Walker opened its first boutique in Auckland in 1988, founded by the eponymous designer who quickly earned a reputation for irreverent tailoring and bold accessories. The label grew through the 1990s and 2000s, exporting ready‑to‑wear, eyewear and jewellery to Europe and Asia. By the early 2010s the brand’s retail footprint included flagship stores in London and New York, and the creative team began exploring olfactory extensions. In 2015 the first fragrances – C and A – arrived, marking the brand’s formal entry into perfumery. The launch was followed by Hi There (2016) and Runaway (2017), each released with limited‑edition packaging that referenced the label’s graphic heritage. A partnership with the historic Grasse perfume house Charabot, founded in 1799, ensured that the scents were crafted using traditional French techniques while retaining a distinctly Kiwi sense of humour. In 2023 the line expanded with B +, a scent that revisits the brand’s early colour palette and demonstrates a continued willingness to experiment. Over three decades, Karen Walker has moved from a single boutique to an internationally recognised lifestyle brand, with fragrance now a core pillar of its diversified portfolio. The designer often describes her work as a dialogue between opposites – a clear, modern vision set against craft, tradition and history. This approach translates directly into the perfume lab, where bright, contemporary accords sit beside time‑honoured bases. Karen Walker’s fragrance philosophy prioritises authenticity over trend chasing; ingredients are chosen for their narrative potential as much as their scent profile. The brand values playful subversion, allowing a scent to feel both familiar and unexpected, and it seeks to create moments that invite the wearer to smile. Sustainability is addressed through selective sourcing and collaborations with partners who share a long‑term view of quality, reinforcing a belief that lasting style begins with responsible creation.