Talia Byre (Q9290)
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Talia Byre is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Talia Byre |
Talia Byre is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
Talia Byre was feeling confident this season—and so too was her woman. When the designer speaks of this person, someone she refers to a great deal, she isn’t imaginary. She exists, and she needs clothes to wear. And Byre knows what this woman wants to wear before she even knows what she wants to wear.Thus far she has stayed true to Byre’s signatures: rugby tops with bias stripes, paneled trumpet skirts, crunchy bomber jackets, fitted jersey cardigans, and a playful minidress called the Bambino. For spring, these trademarks took on new guises. The rugbys came in a purple-striped pattern, with ruffled hemlines, and a high-shine disco jersey—whichsomeonecould wear with matching briefs, if they dare!—inspired by glossy, gummy Pipilotti Rist sculptures Byre saw in New York earlier this year. The jackets, which tapped into the ’80s references she looked at this season and her animal muse (crows), were exaggerated at the shoulders with gathered popped collars; cardigans arrived with Dennis the Menace stripes and a soft, hand-painted deer print by Harriet Cox. “Preppy but glam” is how Byre described it.“This is like a cat burglar,” she said, pointing at menacing striped capri pants complete with a matching drawstring bag on a chain. The Dennis the Menace reference was intentional. In fact, several cartoons—Scooby-Doo,The Flintstones—informed elements throughout the collection. Did Byre watch them during the design process or hark back to her fragmented memories of watching them as a child? The latter, it figures. Nostalgia was an overarching theme but not wholly in a literal way: “They remind me of the girls I went to school with,” she said of the individual looks.There’s a new contender in the foundational Talia Byre arsenal: the wrap dress, whose multi-wear silhouette was achieved after draping. Byre wore one as coffee-holding guests gathered to hear her proposition for spring. There were also new materials, including a two-tone shearling, seen as a waistcoat; a miniskirt that had a top part like tights so it fit under, say, a cashmere jumper (it comes as a full-fuzz miniskirt sans hosiery upper too); and suede, from which her belts and barrel bags were made this season.The mix-and-match capabilities of Byre’s pieces are very well suited to everyday wear, but she wanted to sprinkle in a dash of drama.
Artistic illustrations danced across tights, while lace cuttings left over from working on her first bespoke bridal look—designed and fitted alongside her main line—became veils on beanies designed by collaborator James Pink, whom she met while studying.“We just had a good time making it,” she said of the team’s energy. “This is quite a real collection—me and the girls in the studio can wear it.” The day after her London appointments, she goes to New York to show her collections Stateside. Talia Byre is meeting more Talia Byre women at every turn.
17 September 2024
As London’s Fashion Week came to a close, Talia Byre hosted an intimate presentation in her Hackney studio, featuring tipples from Lant Street Wines and homemade treats—including orange-blossom cakes and ginger biscuits—complemented by chic mid-century furniture curated by interiors maven Jermaine Gallacher. Byre’s refined taste shone through, setting the stage for her fall collection.Inspired by recent personal experiences, notably a transformative monthlong journey through Japan and Korea, as well as the uplifting atmosphere of her east London studio, Byre’s latest collection embodied a spirit of spontaneity infused with abundant joy. Bold prints and textures dominated, each piece meticulously crafted to a new level of elevation; pony hair, cow-print suits, zigzag camisole dresses, and striped rugby tops were standouts. Displayed against the stark white walls of her studio, each full look was presented on hangers. The designer imbued her signature silhouettes with gallerina peculiarities: asymmetric hemlines, abstracted houndstooth prints, layered and mismatched shirts. “I wanted to capture a vibe where being seen is a thrill and empowering all at once,” she said in a preview, “but also to push our silhouettes with a lot more pizzazz—these clothes are not for the shy!”While Byre’s collection is typically born from emotion rather than literal references, this season there were whispers of Amedeo Modigliani’s evolving portrayals of his muse and lover, Beatrice Hastings; the iconic girl groups of the 1960s like The Shangri-Las, whose song “Hate to Say I Told You So” inspired the collection’s name, Told You So; and the enduring charm of Hollywood’s Sweater Girl archetype, embodied by the likes of Lana Turner and Jayne Mansfield. This resulted in a mash-up of gorgeous knits in offbeat shades of crimson, navy, and umber. A dalmatian-print knit gown in teal, complete with a matching oversized scarf, felt particularly fabulous.Being part of Byre’s journey is an enriching experience, seeing a unique talent hone their craft without compromising their vision. She stands out among her peers by eschewing trends and resisting categorization into any aesthetic movement. This collection, though shown in a static setting, was her most compelling to date.
22 February 2024
“It’s about having fun and being more experimental,” Talia Byre said of the thinking behind spring at a preview. Her new collection, Don’t Think Twice—named after Joan Baez’s 1963 rendition of Bob Dylan’s song—twisted her burgeoning namesake brand’s signatures with confidence. “We’ve gone bolder and sexier,” said Byre. “It felt right to push out of our comfort zone a bit more—there's a feeling of self-assurance.”Sexier was certainly the case, as the show unfolded at London’s Tenderbooks store in Soho. Bandeaus, corset tops, and strapless going-out dresses felt distinctly alluring, but without compromising the off-center, demure essence that the designer excels at. The silhouettes of her shirting remained consistent with previous seasons, characterized by prominent shoulders, cinched waists and elongated sleeves. This time, those pieces incorporated a chest peekaboo detail, revealing a subtle hint of skin. Balloon hot pants in vibrant shades were a fun addition to the lineup.There were twin-sets, consisting of zip-up jackets and full skirts with pockets crafted from high-shine nylons that were not only lightweight but also durable. The tactile experience of these garments brushing against the skin as models walked the intimate runway added an extra layer of sensory pleasure. Layering also played a pivotal role, with the integration of stacked black and white striped illusion knits and the addition of a sheer polka-dotted tulle overlay.This season, Byre introduced the Bolter, the brand’s first bag. At a glance, this leather accessory may appear as two distinct clutch and shoulder bags, but upon closer examination, it seamlessly transforms into a practical single piece ideal for everyday use. She remarked, “It’s aproperbag that’s for people who are always on the move.”For the color palette, the designer drew inspiration from mystical sources, notably referencing Annie Besant’s 1905 book,Thought Forms. She assigned intellectual significance to yellow, associated affection with pink, and denoted spirituality with lavender, among others. These choices manifested in knit separates, a hallmark of the Talia Byre brand, where various hues were combined to create wearable talismanic pieces.
18 September 2023
Recently, Talia Byre has gone through some changes in her personal life. With such momentous shifts—as well as inspiration from the leading women of films likeThe Graduate and Funny Girl—the designer wanted to celebrate the ‘anti-hero’ with her fall collection. “The person I’m designing for is brash, greedy, selfish; all of what’s perceived as the worst traits to have,” she said in a preview. “But what’s great about them is that they’re also strong and independent—it’s their way of saying a big ‘fuck you’ to society.”The collection—titled Sadie, Sadie—explored the sort of wardrobe that an anti-hero figure would aspire to own. There was a duality of toughness while retaining sensuality, whether in the form of screen-printed leopard patterns on wool and cashmere pieces, or figure-hugging maxi dresses in black and dark cherry brown. “This season, sexiness is expressed more subtly,” Byre said. “However, a look can unravel into more daring silhouettes with the undoing of a single button.”With color being integral to her creative process, Byre took shades from American painter Helen Frankenthaler’sJacob’s Ladder, including brown, lilac, grapefruit, and emerald green. The tailored coats were particularly strong—one in navy wool with a dangerously high slit up the back, and another featuring a hood constructed from waterproof technical fabric. A cotton poplin shirt dress with woven stripes, a dramatically cinched waist-line, and voluminous sleeves was also worth noting.In sum, the collection was a departure from the pastels and fluid silhouettes of the previous season, which is a welcome development. It’s refreshing to see Byre push past working predominantly with knit. “I feel like the whole vibe is more grown-up and realistic,” she said. “Life’s not always going to be rosy—sometimes it’s about being tough, taking matters into your own hands, and doing what makes you happy.”
19 February 2023
The Queen’s passing in September prompted Talia Byre to reschedule her debut runway show. Last week, amidst the Frieze goings-on, the designer 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) color 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.
17 October 2022
Though the fall 2022 womenswear season has not begun in earnest yet, the collections shown amidst the men’s and couture shows have displayed a fascination with breasts. Here’s a drawing of a breast, the outline of a bosom, a totally sheer top… all designed by men. Hmm. British designer Talia Byre is too sensitive to a woman’s life and too tuned-in to the geography of a woman’s mind to be so obvious with her stitchings up and dressings down of femininity.The black dress in her fall 2022 collection cuts out a new way to approach bosomy sensuality. She designed it by patching together pieces to define the bustline, the tight waist, the long torso, and let it loose to pleat in a skirt and train. When her longtime fit model tried it on, the collaged knits acted like a bustier, pushing up the breasts like a balconette. “Kind of sexy!” Byre laughed, almost surprised. “I thought it was an office dress, but maybe it’s an evening one.”Unlike what the boys do, Byre’s clothes are not garments about your body. They are for your body, crafted with the utmost attention to the wrinkles of womanhood. It’s no wonder that Byre’s fandom stretches wide: Her 17-year-old cousin recently visited her studio to try on pieces, styling them low-rise and slinky as is the look for Gen Z girls. On the other end of the spectrum, modesty accounts follow Byre on Instagram and recommend her full-coverage knits, now available in moss green mohair.In concept, her fall 2022 collection, titled Duet, pulls from two dance performances with that title: Yvonne Rainier and Trisha Brown’s from 1963 and Merce Cunningham’s from 1980. The friction between the classicism of ballet and abstraction of modern dance is Byre’s driving force; she equates it to her practice: “My silhouettes are super classical but chopped up inside,” she says. Acid greens and lilacs are pulled from the costumes of Cunningham’s dancers, painstakingly dyed to be the exact hue. Other pieces have layered nylon pouf skirts, as if Ungaro designed a tutu. A lavender warm-up suit is outrageously alluring for both its volume and its ease.In addition, she’s expanded her repertoire to include tight-fitting blazers fastened with hooks and eyes, narrow in the shoulder, arm, and bust, and flaring out over the hips. They are paired with coordinating skirts that look like minis with midi skirts peeking out underneath.
Styled with blouson nylon pants, pouf skirts, and even leotard bottoms, the blazers’ versatility proves the breadth and efficacy of Byre’s ideas. Every garment has a purpose, but it only has a life when you make it your own. From a woman’s mind, a woman’s wardrobe is born.
24 January 2022
Talia Byre tends to show her eponymous womenswear at the tail end of the men’s shows in Europe. The collections in Milan and Paris mostly looked like piles ofstuff, every model laden with accessories and collaborations and little tricks to generate buzz. Byre’s work is so emotional and human and purposeful, showing it after such a consumerist display made her look miles better.Byre is a designer’s designer, who said over a video call that “fittings are her favorite thing.” She tends to refit and re-assess her pieces every two days or so, dicing up pieces from past seasons to make new, provocative silhouettes. Spring 2022 is a meditation on color, each hue inspired by tones she stumbled on in a box of vintage thread and meticulously hand-crafted herself. Creamy bubblegum pink, pure tomato red, glum indigo, and dirty white come together in knit bodysuits, sweaters, and dresses that lap up the female body. She tries her pieces on herself, her sister Freya, and a fit model to make sure seams and cuts come in just right. After weeks ofstuffall you can really say about Byre’s work is: gorgeous.It’s also meaningful. Byre’s grandparents owned the popular Liverpudlian store Lucinda Byre and remnants of their collections still exist in Byre’s life. A pleated midi skirt—quickly becoming a signature for her young brand—is called the “Everlasting Skirt”; it’s shape is inspired by a piece she inherited and loves. “Everything with me is ritual and heritage,” she said, as she walked through each of her 17 looks. There’s her own heritage, growing up in the North of England in a family connected to the sartorial spirit, and then there is the heritage of her clothes themselves, which are mostly made up of old clothes. Her clever upcycling innovation this season—aside from her ever-more-lush knits—is a leather skirt made of old trousers, cut to look like pants when standing still, but imbued with motion otherwise. The elegance and layering of dancers is another of Byre’s references, as are the Stettheimer sisters and their artworks, though the beauty of her garments is that you don’t need to know the why to fall in love.
2 July 2021