Karen Walker has never really gone the conventional route when casting her lookbooks. Instead of a single lithe model smizing at the camera, the designer has tapped some very stylish kids, Kenyan artisans (with whom Walker collaborated on a capsule), and even Toast (yes, the Instagram dog) to personify her work.
For her latest jewellery campaign, though, Walker revisited a casting roster she's used before — with subjects who embody an incredible narrative and are very much in line with her commitment to featuring creative spokespeople for the brand.
Walker's most recent editorial, shot by Advanced Style's Ari Seth Cohen, is titled "Magic Hands." The photographer previously worked with Walker on an eyewear campaign back in 2013, for which he brought along his frequent subjects Linda Rodin and Ilona Smithkin to model the brand's signature arrow-lined shades. This time around, the campaign takes a different approach to portraiture, focusing on the Advanced Style's ladies' hands.
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Why focus on the women's digits? To showcase Walker's latest selection of rings, of course, but also because Walker believes that "hands can be every bit as expressive as faces," as the designer said in a statement. "These Magic Hands speak of a life well-lived," Walker said.
Phyllis Sues and Roberta Haze headline the campaign, and they certainly fit Walker's bill: 93-year-old Sues is a pianist, designer, yogi, and dancer, while 78-year-old Haze surely has some great anecdotes from her time on Broadway and in the New York party scene. (The latter is now a great-grandmother and actress/model living in Venice Beach, CA.)
In "Magic Hands," the West Coast-based women mix and match pieces from Karen Walker jewellery collections past and present. Statement rings from this latest range are paired with classic arrow bands. Sues' poodle, Nicko, even makes an appearance.
Karen Walker's latest jewellery collection hits shelves August 22. You can check out the full spread on the designer's website.