The hills were alive with custom prints, rich colors and day-glo sunglasses at Karen Walker’s 2010 fall fashion show. It was “The Sound of Music” meets Bob Dylan – with sweaters and patterned dresses mixed in with shrunken corduroy and velvet suits. The grey over-the-knee socks seen throughout the show brought to mind the Von Trapp children, who would have been right at home in the knee-length, narrow shorts. And among some of our favorite things: a navy cashmere A-line dress with oversized bows on the shoulders, which Walker says would be great for any downtown girl. The hints of sheepskin, perfect for the Austrian Alps, also brought to mind New Zealand, where Walker lives, while one electric look that made its way down the runway was a sea-green lurex linen paneled dress, an almost futuristic look in contrast to her more classic designs.

We caught up with Walker backstage after the show and asked her what is was like blending these different inspirations into a theme. “That is when the exciting stuff happens,” she said; “the positive and negative makes electricity.”

Walker said her looks this season are geared towards the “Anti-It Girl” – think Annie Hall and Ally Sheedy in The Breakfast Club. So who’s the “Anti-It Girl” for this generation? “It’s too hard,” she replied, perplexed. “Someone’s iconic state doesn’t become apparent until later.”

She’s already tackled eyewear and shoes (as part of a collaboration with Pointer), as evidenced in the show. With this show just moments behind her, of course we had to ask, what’s next? Aside from moving into a new home, she was coy, only saying that “we are working on a few little things out there.” Walker was clearly exhausted and still jubilant from her well-received show, so we let the answer slide but promised to keep tabs on her. She replied with a courteous nod, then excused herself with a polite wave goodbye before dancing off into her crowd of models. Frauline Maria would be proud.

- Kimberly Winston and Bree Driscoll