Being a young conceptual fashion designer in New York is a balancing act, or at least it should be. There is a lot to be said for someone coming out of the gate with a distinct point of view and a deeply inspired, artful collection. These kinds of runway shows can be riveting, moving even, and the clothes are often so out-there that they make you think about fashion in an entirely new and wildly refreshing light. At the end of the day, though, designers have to make the sale to the buyers seated in the front row. If it’s too avant-garde, they can alienate themselves from the retail market. If it’s not avant-garde enough, they lose their pride and purpose. Hillary Taymour is learning as she goes at her Manhattan-made label, Collina Strada. Taymour’s Fall 2018 collection was heavy on concept (her runway show was staged as a wedding, featuring actress Sasha Frolova marrying herself) and overtly crafty clothes, but her Resort pieces offered something a bit more streamlined and relatable.
She showed a new range of her popular T-shirts, stitched with puns like Chakra Khan, and embellished hoodies, but the main line was the draw. Taymour’s best pieces included multicolored and striped corduroy trousers and a minidress with a zen garden–inspired print, both made using deadstock fabric. The brown “Disney princess” dress was a playful yet accessible look, as were the pink and purple pencil skirt and lime green and yellow peplum top. The crystal-embellished wide-leg jeans were also brilliant. The items all touched on mass trends—crop tops, nostalgia, slip dresses—but without feeling like Taymour was sacrificing her humor or her singular aesthetic. She did a fine job harmonizing her designs this season, and it seems as though others are starting to get on board with this talented up-and-comer, too: Collina Strada has just been picked up by Lane Crawford and Harvey Nichols.
