The Inspiration: Zadie Smith

It has always been Tanya Taylor’s purpose to celebrate strong and courageous women who are not afraid to go off the beaten path to tell a story that is all their own. The Pre-Spring 2020 collection was inspired by one story-teller in particular, British author Zadie Smith. Through her writing, Smith captivates her audience by bridging fiction with reality to create her unique world. She explores significant subjects of race, religion and cultural identity, all while maintaining her distinctive style of savvy humor and snappy dialogue. Smith’s creative expression doesn’t end with her words, as her display of written artistry also visually manifests itself in her strong personal style.

An ode to bold individual expression, Pre-Spring 2020 was designed with a woman’s journey in mind and to give her a physical vocabulary to tell her own story. The Tanya Taylor woman has an energetic spirit; she is grounded and confident in her own identity, thus allowing her to be courageous with her style and dressing for the adventure of life. The collection is powerfully feminine, exploring the strength of structure, texture and color. There is an emphasis on tailoring; tuxedo suiting in contrasting colors and metallic jacquards bring a vivacity to the constructed silhouettes.

New shapes include pop colored shirt-dresses, bold plaid suits, silk jacquard draped evening-wear and thin, metallic striped knitwear. The palette is anchored in saturated colors – electric pink, hunter green, periwinkle, fire red and sunshine yellow – which are condensed into leopard prints, magnified plaids and blurred florals. Our woman is refreshed, inspired, and ready to show herself to the world.