Designer Download: Hillary Taymour of Collina Strada

By Chadner Navarro
November 10, 2011

Collina Strada

Want to make it in the fickle business of fashion and beauty? Well, start by getting creative with your Barbie. After all, Jeanie Syfu, lead Stylist at TRESemme, used to give hers haircuts. And Hillary Taymour, the genius behind burgeoning accessories (and soon-to-be ready-to-wear) line Collina Strada, used to recreate outfits for her dolls. (Grandma still has the them!)

Taymour's obsession with fashion continued throughout her school years. After completing a degree at the California-based Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM), she worked as a menswear designer for Guess Jeans and took on odd jobs in retail in L.A. before relocating to the East Coast to jumpstart Collina Strada.

Known for its edgy silhouettes and striking color palettes, Collina Strada is a fashion insider favorite that’s quickly building its mainstream creds. Based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the company churns out buzzy products like harnesses (a trend the New York Times gave Taymour some credit for launching) along with easier to wear leather handbags, and beginning in spring 2012, a line of chic leather separates that complement the accessories.

Hilary Taymour

Below, Taymour discusses what exactly she did for her Barbies, what’s next for Collina Strada and how you can sport a harness of your own.

The Inside Source: Tell us more about your Barbie designing experience.

Hillary Taymour: I remember I wanted her to have a pink strapless fishtail gown. Barbie's prom dresses were not what I wanted. I wanted super dull minimal pink, but it didn’t exist.

Collina Strada

The Inside Source: You started off doing designer ready-to-wear. How did you transition to leather bags and accessories?

Hillary Taymour: I think with my horseback riding background [Taymour rode competitively from ages five to 16], it kind of felt natural to use leather. I have been caring for leather my whole life. I had to clean my tack and polish my boots, so I know how leather breaks in and wears.

It’s interesting because I’m just going back into RTW now with my first capsule collection for spring 2012. It’s so much fun: The market is so much broader. I think it’s best for businesses to keep their product in smaller categories. I love accessories; however, ultimately I see myself progressing into a full RTW collection.

Collina Strada

Collina Strada RTW Spring 2012

The Inside Source: How does the RTW relate to the handbags and accessories?

Hillary Taymour: Basically I wanted to create a collection that was relevant to the bags. The colors in the clothes were similar to my spring 2012 bags, and it all worked out really well in the lookbook. It made sense to only use leather, because I am known as a bag designer. I really wanted to make simple pieces that were slightly 1970s with a little retro feel. But primarily it was just about making great stylized and functional pieces in leather that I feel were totally lacking in the market.

Collina Strada

Collina Strada Spring 2012

The Inside Source: How did you get into doing harnesses?

Hillary Taymour: I really wanted something that I would wear, so from there I created the harness aesthetic and injected it into the rest of the collection.

I wanted something that will fit my phone and credit card that I didn’t need to wear on my shoulder. And a harness gives my outfit an upgrade, so overall it was a success!

The Inside Source: How has the harness change your business?

Hillary Taymour: It has allowed me to break into a more editorial side of the business, which is great. It also has gotten a lot of attention from men and has made me think about going into the menswear side.

Collina Strada

The Collina Strada leather harness was featured in Mexican Vogue and sold on website of Need Supply.

The Inside Source: So according to an interview you did with the New York Times about harnesses, you’ve actually sold one you’re wearing on the subway. Any other unusual points of sale?

Hillary Taymour: Actually in a taxi line at a Vegas hotel with drunk people! They were talking about it amongst themselves saying, "Oh my God, that’s so amazing." But not directly talking to me, and then they thought I was rude for not responding. Then of course they tried to buy it, but it was a sample and I was showing the line in Vegas, so I couldn’t sell it.

The Inside Source: So, what is the best way to rock a Collina Strada harness?

Hillary Taymour: I like it used in a casual rock look: a great pair of boots, jeans, a tee, and a harness is effortless.

Collina Strada