Fashion week is back, sort of. As designers prep their collections for the runways, the corresponding entourage of editors, buyers, stylists, and influencers has recommenced traipsing back and forth across Manhattan to absorb the season’s newest trends IRL. Despite the seemingly robust calendar, many designers have stuck to the pandemic-induced idea of a virtual showcase, experimenting with ways to convey their collections sans a physical runway.
Though designer Tanya Taylor had previously debuted her eponymous collections in spaces like the MoMA and nonprofit arts organization Smack Mellon, she chose to forgo those potential risks this season and explore artistic alternatives. “When we were conceptualizing what to do for New York Fashion Week, things were uncertain again with Covid-19, so it didn’t make sense for us to do something IRL,” says the designer. “There are so many possibilities when it comes to doing a digital show that can very easily feel unnatural, so for us, we made sure to conceptualize our show based on what felt true to our brand.” Keeping with the theme of artistry, the team selected the Elaine de Kooning House in East Hampton for its kindred affinity for art and beauty, and collaborated with art lover and historian Sarah Hoover on the presentation. Below, Taylor walks us through what it’s really like to pull all of this together. (Watch the full video here.)
“As a design team, we are always curious about lesser-known artist's stories. Last summer, we visited the Elaine de Kooning House and Studio for an inspiration trip and were completely taken away by the light in the space—there is a large angled, glass window where light travels through, illuminating the space, turning it into something quite magical. It’s currently an artist residency, which has seen so many talented artists come through its doors, so you also get this strong pulse of creativity there. We felt so energized just being in there and couldn’t shake off the impression it left on us, so we knew we had to come back and show the collection here.”
“It’s a feeling, a mood. It’s hard to describe in words, but spaces that have been a hotbed for creativity are usually what speaks to us most. We’ve shown in some of the most incredible places like the MoMA and Smack Mellon (a non-profit arts organization). Through the spaces we pick, we hope to convey a sense of just how much art inspires and energizes us.”
“There is a calmness and serenity to being out in East Hampton in the dead of winter. Even though we had a packed schedule and it should have been hectic, we were able to feel completely at ease and creative. It was so much fun shooting throughout the space and discovering bits of Elaine and the other artists who worked there, like the paint splatters left behind through the years that have become works of art in themselves. I was channeling that creativity at the start of the day, painting a large mural that is part of the lookbook and video. It felt really special to be painting in such a historic space.”
“When we got the opportunity to film in the space, Sarah [Hoover] was the first person I had in mind to share this experience with. I love how she brings people into the world of art in such an approachable and engaging way and thought it would be cool to have her play dress up in the collection and teach us more about the importance of Elaine’s work.”
“In Elaine’s life, she was known as an energetic and generous person, a great supporter of other female creatives, and she loved life! She was at the center of everything that was happening in New York. Sarah and I love her work, but we also felt so much in common with her personality-wise. I’d like to think that if she were still alive, we’d all be friends.”
“When we were conceptualizing what to do for New York Fashion Week, things were uncertain again with COVID-19, so it didn’t make sense for us to do something IRL.”
“There are so many possibilities when it comes to doing a digital show that can very easily feel unnatural, so for us, we made sure to conceptualize our show based on what felt true to our brand. We wanted to emphasize our passion for creating immense beauty in fashion and art, and a spirit of collaboration. Aside from tapping our friend Sarah Hoover, we worked with musician Hayley Coupon who produced our first show at the MoMA on the soundtrack for our video and brought in a new team of photographers and video directors, Matthew Kristall and Lucas Flores Piran, to bring an inspiring version of runway to life.”
“Fall ’22 embodies a nocturnal elegance with an artful point of view. It is my favorite collection we have designed and there is a confidence to our woman this season that shows in our streamlined silhouettes and moody feminine attitude.”
Photos: Courtesy of Tanya Taylor
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