Karen Wertheimer founded Orphans, a punk rock retail outlet in 1983. At the time, people thought she was crazy for opening a shop in King Street, because it was so far away from the city, and was just full of wholesalers - there weren\'t any other retailers there. Orphans soon became one of the most popular and well known shops in Perth, and it led the way for the many other retailers (including Gucci, Lois Vitton, Kookai, Varga Girl and Zomp) on now fashionable \"King Street\". Karen also brought label such as Vivien Westwood into Australia from London, and gave many designers their first chance at international sales. Orphans was the first shop to show music videos (mainly punk/rock bands such as The Clash and Sex Pistols) and it was seen as the place to hang out at. Support us by getting this important cultural icon recognised by petitioning the City of Perth to add a star for Orphans in the King Street Walk of Fame!

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