Karen Walker will host a mini pop-up in her Newmarket store, Playpark, from 13-16 June that focuses on the incredible pre-loved gems that can be found at Dove Hospice stores.
Karen Walker x Dove Hospice
A selection of vintage hand knits – personally edited by Karen Walker herself – will be available to fundraise for Dove Hospice, with all the money raised from sales going to the charity.
Dove Hospice holds a personal meaning to Walker. After the death of her mother in 2016, the designer donated bags of her clothes to the Remuera store and was so touched by the care and gratitude taken with her mother’s precious pieces, she wanted to help raise awareness of the charity. “The staff were great, and there was such respect for the process of giving up these clothes and for the life stories that my mother’s wardrobe held,” says Walker.
Featuring an assortment of hand knitted wool sweaters, cardigans and vests all dry cleaned and ready for winter, Walker and the team at Dove Hospice Shops have combed through the generous donations to the charity to present an eclectic mix of one-of-a-kind pieces that Karen Walker customers will enjoy giving a new lease of life to.
As a design company, Karen Walker is committed to creating unique, well-designed and well-made pieces, knowing that loved clothes last. “We make beautiful, well-crafted and well-thought-through pieces that will be used and loved for decades, in one, or several, wardrobes,” says Walker. “The idea of pieces having many lives in different wardrobes is very important to us and charity stores are central to this process. We want to bring attention to the quality of product that can be found in charity stores. We also want to share with our community the story of the good work that Dove Hospice do and help to raise funds for them to put towards this work.”
Dove Hospice fulfils a unique role, offering free holistic care and support for people with life-threatening or terminal illness from the moment of diagnosis. Julie McCarthy, the Executive Director of Dove Hospice, thinks that the upcoming collaboration is “a leading example to other businesses of the role they can play in growing a compassionate community through creative partnerships.”
“Having the first Karen Walker x Dove Hospice pop-up be focused on hand knits is a wonderful start, too,” says Walker, “as anyone who’s ever knitted a piece, or been gifted a piece knows, knitting is a complete act of love and respect and there’s something about a hand knitted piece that’s impossible to emulate”.
Look out for future Dove Hospice pop-ups featuring Karen’s exclusive edits of denim, vintage blouses and more in this ongoing partnership. Dove Hospice’s quality recycled fashion fits perfectly with Karen and her brand’s “less but better” approach.
See the selection available in the gallery above. Find your closest Dove Hospice store here.
