Tanya Taylor’s spring collection was based around her idea of a perfect day. For the designer and artist that would involve painting and cruising between her studio and an art supplies store on a skateboard. “When you’re in an art store, you feel like all your tools are around; you could create anything. And there’s something about someone on a skateboard that’s pure freedom; it’s like the wind in your hair and the control of where you’re going.” With all this in mind, Taylor’s goal was to create a day-off kind of feeling to the collection; she didn’t want things to look too polished or perfect. Styling a pretty pistachio satin dress with a twisted strap with slippers didn’t push the idea far enough; relaxed trousers in beige and apricot that you could wear with any number of cute tops, from a gingham bikini to tie-back peplum halters or a slouchy marinière sweater, did.
As usual, Taylor created the prints for the season. The boldest was of tulips, printed on a T-shirt an on pleated skirts once they had been produced, so when you sit or move the print would be interrupted. A gingham-fronted trench coat was fun, from the back the only hint of what lay ahead was the checked collar. In terms of investments you couldn’t go wrong with a long, sleeveless scoop-necked denim column with corset seaming: it was flirty, fitted, and fab. Also strong was a LBD/tennis dress hybrid with buttons down the extended front that opened up into a fuller skirt. A white short with cut-outs edged in green and puffed sleeves could similarly be dressed up or down.
This felt like a little-bit-of-everything collection; there was gingham, eyelet, stripes, knits, cutouts, denim, satin, beading, and more. This was in keeping with the theme, a free-pass to do as you please day, yet the collection felt less tight than the preceding ones. Taylor pointed out that the dress buyers gravitated to was look 24, a butter yellow sheath with a full skirt with thin bands of black threaded eyelet at the princess sleeves, and wider ones at the side of the waist. It was a little bit ’60s Lily/Jackie/Camelot, and quite nostalgic. Which vibes with Taylor’s own effusive mood: “I love connecting back to what my youthful state of mind was,” she said. “And my youthful state of mind was always about freedom.” Let it ring.