Beauty and Breeding
It took a disaster for designer Tigerlily Hill to get the Crown Atelier line off the ground, but, as a result, she found a renewed sense of purpose.
After Hurricane Ivan destroyed Hill’s home in the Cayman Islands, she reunited with University of Iowa schoolmate Red Sturgeon, who was working for Primp in Los Angeles. The two went to work on a line that combines awareness about endangered species with lively, colorful clothing.
While Hill was devastated that her personal belongings had been swept away, she was more disturbed to hear that the islands’ irreplaceable wildlife had been further endangered by the natural disaster. To raise awareness and serve as a reminder of the animals, Crown Atelier produces tie-dye-like cotton T-shirts with screen prints of three endangered species: the Grand Cayman blue iguana, the Siberian tiger and the orange-bellied parrot.
The nature theme is carried out through the line’s vivid tropical palette as well as through a bird silhouette on a fine-wale corduroy micro miniskirt and matching bolero.
Summer and Fall 2005 mark the label’s debut, and many of the same bodies are carried from one season to the next. The bright color palette will remain intact regardless of the season.
“Our colors will always be vibrant,” said Hill of the label’s multi-chromatic style. “We’re vibrant girls, and we live in a vibrant world. We want to keep it fun and fresh. You go to the Caribbean, and you see all these colors; we love that.”
The most interesting pieces in the item-driven “lifestyle wardrobe” reference Hill’s upbringing. The designer’s father is English, and her mother is Jamaican. The short silk “Georgetown” dress is named after Hill’s hometown in the Cayman Islands, her take on jodhpurs is a nod to her English background, and the bright-blue “London” tube dress points out her years as a fashion design student at Central Saint Martins in London.
The theme of the debut collection, “beauty and breeding,” refers to both the pretty ruffled designs and the idea of breeding endangered species. A portion of the profits for the T-shirts will be donated to the Wild Aid organization, which raises funds to end illegal wildlife trade.
Wholesale price points are $32 to $40 for cotton T-shirts, $108 for a signature ruffled jacket and $68 to $98 for silk pieces. For more information, visit the Satine Showroom in suite 612 of the Cooper Design Space, or call (323) 806-3464. —Rhea Cortado
