Rebecca Taylor at right, Andrea Lublin second from left at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. Image via @andreaslookbook
Rebecca Taylor: Fashion Is More Local Than People Think
Designer Rebecca Taylor did a meet and greet with stylist Andrea Lublin April 19 at Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. The star of the event was the New York-headquartered Taylor’s La Vie collection. The Saks event was more than show-and-tell though. It was a chance to hear what her consumers want from a brand. To paraphrase a quip about politics, a lot of it is local.
“You get to see how regional fashion can be,” Taylor said of the event. People dress differently in New York and Los Angeles. But they also dress differently from county to county. Beverly Hills style is casual but polished. An hour drive south at the Rebecca Taylor store in Newport Beach, the shopper is looking for something even more casual.
Taylor said that her brand’s fans share common sartorial interests. They like pretty colors, since they’re athletic, they like to show toned arms and legs. There’s the palette of brand styles, but differences are respected.
“Design leads the charge. You come up with colors and silhouettes," she said. "Then it is thrown to the merchandisers. They say ‘This is great, but they’re not wearing it in California. You got to make it shorter and sexier. In Westchester, (County in New York), it’s going to be cold, you’re going to need a chunky sweater.’”
