Designer Karen Walker Transforms Herself in Her New Ad Campaign

Julie Tong
Nine strikingly different images of Karen Walker
The nine personas of fashion designer Karen Walker in her new “Transformers” eyewear collection. (Photo: Courtesy of Karen Walker)

Karen Walker takes eyewear to the next level with her newest collection, titled Transformers. The collection is centered on the multiplicity of personas a woman has to “transform” into on a daily basis. For Karen, she assumes the role of a designer, mother, wife, and boss.

Transformers also alludes to the many identities a person can assume on, say, different social media platforms, whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat. This theme is a major framework for this campaign.

The idea is personified in the Transformers campaign, where Walker herself transforms into nine different characters, referencing iconic artist and photographer Cindy Sherman. Sherman gained international notoriety for her conceptual self-portraits, in which she adopted different personas — often stereotypical female characters from Hollywood films, fashion, and advertising. Hollywood is also a touchstone for Walker, who stated, “It’s a city that is built on re-inventing oneself.” Walker’s portraits are also a nod to Robert Mapplethorpe for his hyperrealist photography.

Karen Walker wears a fiery red wig.
Karen Walker wears a fiery red wig, which emphasizes her slick black cat eye sunglasses. (Photo: Courtesy of Karen Walker)
Karen Walker wearing a denim shirt, a full head of short, blond curls and her signature frames in translucent blue
Karen Walker depicted as a country diva. (Photo: Courtesy of Karen Walker)
Karen Walker in a tropical shirt and large, square sunglasses in a tortoise shade.
Karen Walker adopts a new persona, wearing a tropical shirt and large, square sunglasses in a tortoise shade. (Photo: Courtesy of Karen Walker)

As seen above, Walker is transformed into several identities, including a country western star and an ’80s disco diva. “I am all of them — and none of them,” said Walker in a statement.

No matter who you want to be, there’s a pair of sunglasses waiting to “transform” you. Shop for Karen Walker’s latest Transformers collection featuring new ’50s cat-eye frames and oversized, exaggerated square sunglasses on karenwalker.com.

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