Toronto-born Tanya Taylor debuts at NYFW with a sense of whimsy and some killer prints

By Frances McInnis | February 9, 2012

By Frances McInnis | 02/09/2012

Tanya Taylor fall/winter 2012 (Images: Billy Farrell Agency)

While New York Fashion Week officially kicked off today, the week’s jam-packed schedule means shows have been running since yesterday morning. Among those early birds was Toronto-born Tanya Taylor, who debuted her eponymous fall/winter 2012 collection with a tea room–themed presentation at an art gallery in Midtown West. Taylor spent two years as a designer for Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen’s Elizabeth and James brand before launching her own label, and we could see the influence of that line’s relaxed fits and eclectic outlook in her 17 looks. Covetable items? A short grey wool dress paired with a slim medallion-printed sweater, and all of Taylor’s chic tapered pants. Check out all of Taylor’s debut looks in our gallery after the jump.

Taylor’s mixing prints and textures revealed a sense of whimsy—corroborated by names like “peach pop Fancy Woodpecker Sadie pant”—but she pulled back from the brink of twee with relaxed fits and masculine tailoring. We also dug the ’60s thread running through the collection, from a cream swing coat to several fluffy angora pullovers. A wool herringbone jumpsuit was less successful (the jumpsuit trend has lingered far too long), but overall, a strong start for Taylor—and for fashion week.