Dove Hospice x Karen Walker pop up returns from 9th – 11th July at Playpark by Karen Walker in Newmarket. Images supplied.
The popular Dove Hospice x Karen Walker knitwear pop-up is returning this week from Friday 9th July – Sunday 11th July (or until stock lasts) at Playpark by Karen Walker in Newmarket. The beloved knitwear pop up first launched in 2018 and has proven a hit with it’s eclectic edit of one-of-a-kind pre-loved hand knits which fundraise for Dove Hospice.
The edit on offer at Playpark beautifully highlights some of the pre-loved gems that can be found in the seven Dove Hospice Shops as well as their online and Trade Me stores. For this offering, designer Karen Walker and the team at Dove Hospice Shops once again combed through the generous donations to the charity to present a unique range of quality hand knitted wool sweaters, cardigans, vests and accessories for adults and children. Each piece is one-of-a-kind and all feature heartwarming clues they were lovingly made and worn before being donated to Dove Hospice. This opportunity to give them a new life with a new wearer means important funds will be raised to help Dove Hospice in their work. The knits will retail for $80 (adults’ sweaters), $35 (children’s sweaters), $35 (blankets) and $20 (accessories) and all the money raised from sales will go to Dove Hospice.
Dove Hospice fulfils an important role in the community, providing holistic care and support free of-charge for people with life-threatening or terminal illness from the moment of diagnosis. Karen herself, has a heartfelt personal connection to Dove Hospice. In 2016, after the death of her mother, she had taken donations to the Remuera Dove Hospice Shop and was touched by the care and gratitude taken with her mother’s precious wardrobe. “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 Karen.
Simon Jones, Executive Director of Dove Hospice says, “We’re delighted to partner with Karen Walker for the third year of this sustainable fashion initiative. These hand knits, kindly contributed by our community of donors, symbolise the warmth and care that we aim to provide to our service users and their families in their times of need. The money raised will help fund the rapidly growing demand for our hospice services which we deliver without charge. Currently we provide over 5,000 holistic treatments each year for individuals in need, as well as supporting their families. We expect the demand for both our outpatient and inpatient services to grow by 30% over the next three years.”
“This partnership also brings awareness to the unique services we provide which differ in some respects from traditional hospice care: not only do we support patients and families at the end of their life, we also provide support from the moment of diagnosis of any life-threatening illness, with many of our patients returning to wellness. Our free-of-charge services are only available because of the goodwill and generosity of our compassionate community of shoppers and donors.”
In support of this great initiative, Regal Drycleaners, Karen’s neighbours a few doors down from Playpark Newmarket have again donated their services and all the knits have been carefully dry-cleaned and are ready for immediate wear by their new owners.
The partnership with Dove Hospice, who focus on quality recycled fashion fits well with Karen and her brand’s “less but better” approach to design. Aware of not wanting to fill wardrobes and landfills with more “stuff”, the designer is committed to creating unique, well-designed and well-made pieces in boutique quantities, and utilising considered fabrics and fibres such as organic cotton, linen and cashmere, knowing that loved clothes last.
“Every product that we design and make we hold up to the light and ask, ‘what is the cost of it, to us all? And what is the benefit that it brings, and should it even exist?’ If it doesn’t add up, then we don’t do it. Our aim is to create pieces that are circulated through many wardrobes before they’re repurposed for another use,” says Karen.
“My team and I, and many of our customers, are big fans of second-hand and vintage shopping. It’s hard to go past the joy of discovering pre-loved gems to give new lease of life to and refreshing your wardrobe in the most sustainable way.”
Images supplied.