The life cycle of a butterfly—life, death, and rebirth—was the inspiration for Collina Strada’s Hilary Taymour’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection. The comparison of eco-friendly design to the transformation of a butterfly, made by one of New York City’s most environmentally concerned businesses, is as natural as the broccoli-shaped bags Taymour debuted this season.
Taymour echoed the collection’s theme with the presentation’s location, the Brooklyn Greenway, a former cemetery turned monarch butterfly habitat, in classic Collina Strada fashion. The seating arrangement for guests followed a large circle that encircled a milkweed garden, echoing the collection’s slogan, “GOT MILKWEED? “, a tribute to the sole plant that monarch caterpillars would consume.
Hari Nef began the performance as twilight fell wearing a lace-trimmed silk slip dress fashioned over plaid pants and flapping her arms like a butterfly.
Taymour’s trademark fun and Y2K influence were unmistakably evident, in all 39 looks but there was also a sensitive touch. Several of the models wore extra-long braids that dragged on the floor behind them as they walked and a blend of romanticism that produced some genuinely stunning eveningwear possibilities.
This collection was made using a variety of deadstock and organic textiles by Taymor, including satin, rose-derived sylk, organza with an orange fiber, and fragments of acrylic that have been knitted. Numerous outfits had allusions to the year 2000, such as look 16, which included a floral G-string whale tail hidden by low-slung bedazzled pants. Several models wore a flowing cargo pant style that was reminiscent of the early aughts, conceived in melancholy patterns and hand-drawn illustrations. The broccoli bag, which has been the focus of the most talk since the start of the show, was carried down the runway by Fernando Casablancas in another scene.
There were plenty of stunning gowns, including one with an asymmetrical hem and exquisitely gathered and pleated floral organza in tones of crimson and burgundy (its toile counterpart also made an appearance, and the sheer white fabric highlighted all the intricate intricacies of Taymour’s artistry). Another slip dress was worn with mint green trousers and a tri-row studded belt over a matching shrug (true millennial heads will remember the shrug!) with an empire waist and spaghetti straps. It was a wonderful illustration of Taymour’s distinctive layering and shapes.
The first see-now-buy-now item from Taymour’s collection, the Puff Sandal, had its runway premiere for spring/summer 2023. A updated jelly sandal with a bubbly-shaped sole and a cozy velcro clasp was created in partnership with Melissa shoes using “plastic” made from sugar cane.
View each look from Collina Strada’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection by swiping through the gallery below.
COLLECTION
Photo: Daniele Oberrauch / Gorunway.com
