VUE

I n the notoriously fickle fashion industry, success doesn't always guarantee longevity. For Tanya Taylor, it's been eight years since she founded her eponymous fashion brand and today, the Toronto-born designer is in the midst of a career high. Her colorful garments have found fans in the likes of Kacey Musgraves, Michelle Obama, Gigi Hadid and Aidy Bryant—whose cheerful, energetic personas embody the upbeat temperament of Taylor's clothing and own playful demeanor. Taylor's early days of working in the fashion industry began when she was just 25, interning at Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's contemporary label Elizabeth & James while attending Parsons School of Design in New York. Aer two years, Taylor positioned herself as part of the design team until coming to the conclusion in 2012 that she had the ability to fill a need in the market for a com- pany that she felt really heard and understood the customer. Putting her clientele's needs at the forefront of her brand has allowed Taylor to build a company that speaks to women of all shapes, sizes, color and age through style, and not necessarily words. e message being, to use clothes "as a tool to feel like the best version of themselves each day." e 34-year-old, at present, has become a household name amongst Hollywood's elite but her ready-to-wear collections are undoubtedly created with real, mod- ern women in mind—even tapping her 120K Instagram followers from time to time for feedback. Not only do impeccable fit and figure flattering silhouettes inform Taylor's universal designs, she's also hand-painting her own prints to tell a specific story—oen influenced by a muse of her choosing. As both a designer and an artist, she firmly believes in the mood-boosting powers of a wardrobe that's unapologetically bold, and each of her pattern-oriented collections have a spirit to them that you can't help but smile at. Her positive outlook and passion for the arts extends to the brand's philanthropic efforts as well, working closely with orga- nizations such as Memorial Sloan Kettering, Sick Kids and Sunrise Day Camp. In the past, Taylor has taught color therapy class- es, created head- scarves for cancer patients and gave exam room curtains at MSK a painterly redesign. Just off the heels of her most recent Pre-Fall 2020 show- case, I chatted with Taylor to discuss her career beginnings, brand evolution and who she loves seeing wear her clothes. V U E N J . C O M 57

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