From post punk aesthetics to the romantic and rebellious revolution. Hillary Taymour Collina Strada presents a co-ed show in the Brooklyn greenway setting
Romantic revolution through butterfly inspiration: Collina Strada
The Brooklyn Greenway is located in New York City and is a former cemetery turned into a monarch butterfly preserve. Its flora includes the local and intentionally growing one, with an emphasis on milkweed. This, in fact, represents the plant that is the sole sustenance of monarch caterpillars; and the goal of the Brooklyn Greenway is to increase the presence of pollinators in the Big Apple.
In this context of rediscovery and rebirth, Collina Strada’s SS23 collection was presented. Under the creative direction of Hillary Taymour and the art direction of Charlie Engman; the brand’s punk style meets the romantic revolution of butterfly life. Based on the symbolic cycle of its life, death, and rebirth, Taymour explains. The collection focuses in particular on that intermediate step in the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly.
GOT MILKWEED?, the collection presented at New York Fashion Week
On the catwalk, however, all states of evolution of the butterfly’s life are recounted. That is why the runway show featuring co-ed casting opens with Hari Nef sporting a soft, light-colored dress overlapping it with a wide pant.
The catwalk is a wooden platform that winds immersing itself inside the garden. On this, soft garments alternate with more composed and stiff models, expertly mixed by Vanessa Reid’s styling. «The looks take us from funky caterpillar era to full butterfly glow-up. Even as the collection embraces the reality that we are all in that mysterious gooey in-between place in our journey to do better by Mommy Earth», the brand declares.
About recurring elements
From orange organza to silk derived from rose and then further deadstock fabrics for denim and satin. Ruffles return on knits and dresses, along with bangs and other decorative elements such as trailing pieces of fabric.
Another recurring element is corsets, tight on the breasts and sometimes bombastic on the abdomen. A symbol of the brand’s punk and rebellious aesthetic. The domed shape is also taken up by some dresses, which contrasts with the soft, flowing lines of the others. It is evident how close the shape of each garment is to the fabric used for its manufacture.
Collina Strada background
Collina Strada was founded in 2009 from an idea of Hillary Taymour. Since its early years, the brand has focused on product development that avoids harming the environment; through the creation of bags first and clothing later.
Concentrating on deadstock, the designer has collaborated with local and international organizations to salvage fabrics. Of particular mention is the purchase of pre-used garments from the Kantamanto market through the mediation of the nonprofit OR Foundation.
Implementing side projects at the socio-cultural level
If the project of sustainable fashion seems to be the driving goal of the brand; it is necessary to highlight how Collina Strada defines it as a journey toward a better future. The brand’s philosophy aims at continuous improvement not only in fabric research. But also in implementing side projects at the socio-cultural level.
It was its community that brought it into the set of leading brands at New York Fashion Week. A collection of people who share a responsible way of dressing and a political and cultural orientation. Other themes dear to Collina Strada are transparency and inclusivity – a clear aspect when looking at the SS23 casting.
The collaboration with Vitelli
Immersing the viewer in a fictional, almost fairytale-like reality. Collina Strada reiterates the relevance of the butterfly’s role for wildlife around the world. The awareness of the relevance of pollination even for those plants used in the creation of textiles is reflected in the choice of fabrics selected to produce this collection.
Collaborations include one with Vitelli, an Italian company whose work is developed in the area of regenerated fibers. Starting with textile scraps from the knitting industry, Vitelli has developed a manufacturing process that allows waste yarn to be reused. Out of a mutual sharing of values, the VITELLI x Collina Strada partnership emerged. Vitelli’s collection takes inspiration from the Italian youth movement Gioventù Cosmica of the 1980s.
This as a means of social and cultural improvement used music, art and style in combination. In particular, there are two fabrics that are 100 percent regenerated, designed on purpose for this SS23 collection. DOOMBOH®Warp and DOOMBOH®Lace differ in the thinness of the material and the final effect. If the former in fact is able in a mix of fabric to create a chunky effect, the other is worked in macramé to bring lace to life.
Other partnerships and the relevance of digital fashion
In addition to the cooperation with Vitelli, Melissa Shoes and Viron have been involved in creating the footwear. The former made sandals and boots starting with cane sugar, while the latter produced the boots using apple leather and recycled rubber.
On the textile side there is an additional collaboration with Unspun for the creation of tailored jeans. Their 3D scanning technology allows them to create an inclusive range of products to suit every body shape. Manufacturing instead avoids inventory production so as to reduce waste with the goal of decreasing global carbon emissions by one percent.
Ethical and low-impact production methods
Beyond partnering on a physical level with a number of companies active in the field of developing ethical and low-impact production methods for the environment. Collina Strada decided to implement a digital project. Intending to spread the idea of the possibility of sustainable fashion through the use of digital fashion, it collaborated with Heartdub.
Collina Strada created five SS23 garments along with the Artificial Intelligence solution. These were then digitally duplicated within a custom designed platform for the brand, along with a short video presentation of the collection. The collaboration aims to make participants experience design concepts in an immersive way, Collina Strada points out.
Collina Strada
Brand founded in 2014 by the designer and now creative director Hillary Taymour. Basing the brand on inclusivity and the development of fashion toward an ethical and less environmentally harmful vision; Taymour has involved personalities from outside the fashion world over the years.
