Tanya Taylor’s use of orange in her pre-fall collection is like a visual shot of vitamin C for a wardrobe. A sleeveless pleated cotton midi dress, a sequin-covered underskirt and a mini with the same discs applied over a blue and white shirt fabric exposed at the waist and hem create a citrus-colored pop in venti, grande and lang proportions, so to speak .
The designer enjoys the feedback she receives in her new store on Madison Avenue and responds to it. “I’ve always wanted to create for real people,” Taylor said in a preview. “Having the store helped me get an idea of how we make denim, how we do playful and magical….” A good example of the former is a sailor-style top with buttoned sleeves, which reflects her desire to “make pieces that feel more versatile through the opening of buttons, through the buttoning, through the way you can style things more fun.” Most imaginative is a dress with one of Taylor’s own floral designs, with ribbon and fabric streamers running down from the shoulders.
“No one is typecast,” Taylor said when asked what she observed in the store. This is reflected in a balanced arrangement that allows room for a polished tropical wool trouser suit with a slightly shorter shirt jacket and a more casual attached Breton stripe, which is placed horizontally on a tunic dress and a cute everyday top. All in all, a collection of recognizable pieces that have that elusive extra. Once best known for her floral dresses, Taylor is growing as a designer.
