Last week, amidst the Frieze goings-on, designer Talia Byre presented her collection at Sweetings restaurant in the heart of London.
“From my research, I discovered that the first known designers frequently presented their creations to friends and family in restaurant settings,” she explained. “I love the idea of intimate gatherings of people sharing a table with food as models walk by - plus, a lot of our private clients are in the art world, so it actually made sense to show at this time of year.”
Byre - who comes from a family of Liverpudlian tailors and owners of a women’s clothing boutique - has a natural talent for knitwear and drapery, but her ability to bring together a distinctive (and charming) colour palette is just as relevant. She introduced a range of tones for spring that looked especially elegant, in her trademark off-center way. Figure-hugging, lightweight cotton knit cardigans in rose pink, grapefruit, and acid green exuded a subtle sexiness, while she used a particular shade of cream, called Isabelline, for clingy poplin knit twin sets and dresses that emulate corsetry. “The collection is all about building the perfect summer holiday wardrobe, so I wanted to focus on a tight edit of colors that reflected this mood,” she said.
Another important element to Byre’s designs is movement. An example might be a miniskirt made of stretch wool in vibrant fuchsia that sways when worn, or an immaculately tailored white silk wool suit with pants featuring a smart grosgrain detail on the waist that was inspired by vintage men’s trousers. She remarked, “some of my pieces can be quite form-fitting, but people need to be able to move with ease and feel comfortable, otherwise it’s not enjoyable to wear.”
Byre delivered a collection that felt succinct and elevated, a step forward from previous seasons. The knitwear pieces were exceptional, but the selection of tailoring deserved recognition, too—perhaps it’s an area she could hone in on further.
YOUTH MODE worked with Byre in sculpting the soundtrack, which included songs from Gabriel Yared and Sam Gendel.