New Zealand designer Karen Walker is one of The Business of Fashion’s 500. Her brand sells in 42 countries, in prestigious stores like Barneys New York, and Liberty of London. She is a New York fashion week veteran, with some very famous fans. Everyone from Beyoncé and Rihanna to Scarlet Johansson, Alexa Chung, Lorde, Lena Dunham, Toast the dog, oh look everyone, wears her sunglasses.

She also designs ready-to-wear, handbag, shoe and jewellery collections as well as homewares. Okay, Karen Walker is a hot brand...

But what does it take to be an ethical one too? How can successful designers incorporate sustainability and social responsibility into their business models? Karen says "ethical values of responsibility, uniqueness, quality and connection, are at the heart of what we do." What does that look like on a practical level? 

Karen is engaging with all these issues. She is working with Baptist World Aid Australia on their Ethical Fashion Giude, for example, and has an ongoing collaboration with the Ethical Fashion Initiative. She is highly invested in the process of producing her products and the people who make them, but also in what it means to work as a creative in fashion today, from responsibilities around supply chains to the impacts of advertising and messaging. She also has a lot to say about the deep stuff: the purpose of design. Ultimately, what is fashion for?

We start off this interview talking about widening the lens on beauty and Advanced Style, we discuss beginnings - Karen started out by making a single men’s floral shirt for a musician friend when she was 18-years-old - what’s changed and what’s remained the same. And we look to the future. How can fashion designers meet tomorrow's challenges?

Check out the shownotes here.

Music is by Montaigne http://www.montaignemusic.com.au/

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