For spring/summer 20, Collina Strada designer and CFDA/Vogue fashion fund finalist Hillary Taymour shut down Rutherford place, the quaint street next to Stuyvesant Square, and invited eager show attendees to her farmer’s market. “I wanted a quiet slice of Manhattan. Somewhere we could feel ourselves and commune together,” Taymour says.
Fresh produce and prim flowers lined the runway and provided the perfect backdrop for the earthy, print-filled collection made almost entirely of repurposed materials. Last season, Collina Strada’s models carried reusable water bottles and this season’s show notes reflect the designer’s continued efforts to make the fashion industry more sustainable and shift the focus to environmentally-conscious design.
“Sustainability is a journey, not a destination. In this climate crisis I am struggling to figure out how to be as responsible and transparent as possible. I’m learning daily how to build better business practices and design with consciousness,” Taymour wrote. “As the Amazon continues to burn, let’s reflect today on how we produce and consume our food. Unconventional fruit tastes even sweeter.”
The show was soundtracked by both Zsela and Tei Shi, who sang from the center of the runway as models of all ages strolled past — many of whom were interacting with the crowd by way of passing out produce, tossing roses, dancing about, or just serving very intense eye contact. The show opened with crushed velvet dresses in a romantic floral print, followed by vibrant two-pieces and signature Collina Strada bodysuits to match. There was no shortage of colorful, vintage-inspired prints, often accessorized by chain-mail nipple covers, beaded sandals, and flower-power charmed sunglasses.
While it was quite the spectacle, with one model streaking halfway through the show, mindfulness could be felt throughout — especially in the t-shirts drawn by Taymour’s nieces. Model Ali Michael wore a long-sleeve mesh turtleneck with “thank you very much for helping” written above a drawing of Earth.
