Trina Turk (Q9380)
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Trina Turk is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Trina Turk |
Trina Turk is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
How does a brand associated with getaway vibes handle the socially distanced realities of 2020? For Trina Turk, it’s all about taking the good times online. The designer’s peppy prints and retro-inspired dresses have channeled the Palm Beach lifestyle for more than two decades. Still, like everyone else on earth, she was forced to rethink things after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. In a world where lounge pants and T-shirts have become workwear, the structured suiting and cocktail looks that dominated Turk’s fall collection no longer felt appropriate. Spring required a reset to align with current concerns, and Turk responded by going casual.Looser silhouettes, lighter fabrics, and a color palette curated with web conferencing in mind served as the kickstart for a collection she dubbed “virtual vacation.” “It’s more about entering that state of mind,” shared Turk via Zoom. “We might not be able to travel right now, but we’re all imagining other places, looking at them online. So it’s about getting creative and trying to visualize where we’re headed next.” The upbeat nature of Turk’s aesthetic lends itself to ideas about summer and escapism, but in this go-round practicality was a focus. The rainbow-hued A-line dresses come in breathable cotton; modish floral patterns are placed above the waist—ideal for video chat—and jumpsuits provide a failsafe for days when plotting out an outfit requires too much mental energy.Turk’s version of casual isn’t dressed down; instead of sweats, house-dresses emerged as a recurring theme. Maxi-length georgette versions were amongst the collection’s standouts, but shorter soft jersey options seemed more viable for long days spent at home. An excess of print and texture was prevalent with gingham blazers, jacquards covered in geometric shapes, and caftans decked out in swirling paisley all featured. After several dour months, the jolt of saturated color and busy pattern could feel shocking, but Turk hopes the vibrancy provides a boost. “We wanted to remain optimistic [and] bring that vibe to the clothing,” she says. “You can wear everything in the collection now, but looking forward to when we all get somewhat back to normal, you can also take that dress or caftan, throw on heels, and go out.”
10 September 2020
It wouldn’t be a Trina Turk collection without a retro reference, but after seasons spent basking in the glow of Palm Beach in the 1960s, fall finds the designer exploring a new decade and destination. The gritty realism of ’70s cinema—think Cassavetes, Peckinpah, and Lumet—served as the starting point for a trip into the heart of Los Angeles.Inspired by visions of Gena Rowlands and Faye Dunaway, Turk set out to create a wardrobe for complex women with a sense of pragmatism. Under another creator, this could have meant a downbeat series of “Me” decade staples, but Turk’s optimistic perspective remained intact. As always, her punchy prints and bright colors were present, but this time around, they shared space with a new range of neutrals. The foray into subtler territory resulted in some of the lineup’s most appealing pieces; olive drab trenches in luxe suede and cocoa-tinted zig-zag prints with a Missoni flair shared space with the paisleys and rainbow stripes Turk is known for.With multiple colorways offered for nearly every piece, each neutral had a peppy counterpart meant to appeal to customers in search of livelier fare. From a business perspective, the move makes sense, but the understated garments were strong enough to stand on their own. The paint-flecked day dresses and cream leisure suits were worthy of attention, as were the pleated knits in a standout shade of jelly green. Old school silhouettes—can you have a ’70s-themed show without the presence of culottes?—seem destined to appeal to the vintage loving, but not everything relied on nostalgia. The double-breasted blazers for men, patent leather outerwear, and a series of chain-print wrap dresses all felt appropriate for 2020 and beyond.
5 February 2020
It wouldn’t be fashion month without a Fellini moment, and Trina Turk kickstarted the season by referencing one of the Italian director’s best.Juliet of the Spiritsserved as her starting point for a lively collection centered on off-kilter beach vibes. If you’ve seen Sandra Milo parade across the sands in a golden cape and matching hat, you have an inkling of the surrealist mood Turk was going for, but instead of replicating Piero Gherardi’s costuming, she infused it with her Palm Springs sensibility.Turk’s output is consistently upbeat, pattern-heavy, and ’60s influenced. Minimalists may object, but the reliability has resulted in a loyal following—this season she celebrates her 25th anniversary—and a series of bestsellers she revisits yearly. Loose tunics, wrap dresses, and patterned suits will always be a part of Turk’s collections, but the variations in fabric and pattern allow for evolution. Spring meant playful sunglasses prints on belted blouses, and polka dots worked into geometric designs. Rainbow stripes used sparingly on pants and caftans proved effective, as did illustrated cranes worked into jacquard for men’s suiting. Plaids added a preppy touch but lacked the zest necessary to compete with the wealth of neon and psychedelic florals.Few brands make it to 25 years, and Turk marked the special anniversary with a capsule collection of peppy separates in a limited-edition print. “On one hand, when I think about it, I can remember running around with bolts of fabric, and on the other hand, that seems like a long time ago,” says Turk. “The great thing is our look hasn’t changed that much. We haven’t lost that sense of optimism. The touch points that we established in the very beginning have carried through 25 years later.”
4 September 2019
The rolling hills of California wine country aren’t the first images that come to mind when you think of Trina Turk, but Fall found the designer in search of a bucolic escape. Far removed from the bustle of her Los Angeles base, Napa’s vineyards offered Turk a starting point, informing both the collection’s color palette and its sense of ease. As always, vintage shapes Turk’s worldview, but after Spring’s jaunt aboard a swinging ’60s yacht, she seemed content to curl up with a nice glass of sauvignon blanc and enjoy the relaxed take on dressing of the late ’70s. Gone were the crop tops and splashy jumpsuits, in their place: cozy sweaters, faux fur, and plenty of plaids combined for comparatively subdued daywear.Wine tones and shades of navy may have taken center stage, but Turk can always be counted on for a vivid print. Fall’s incarnation featured hand-drawn birds and paisley in the vein of Sarah Campbell, creator of Liberty of London’s iconic ’70s designs. A statement pattern offered in blue and red variants for men and women, respectively, was an appealing example of the kind of joyous fashion Turk is known for. Butterfly-covered sundresses and punchy chevron slips will bring a smile to the face of wearers. Turk remains consistently upbeat, skipping some of the decade’s grittier trends and wine country’s bacchanalian side.The revelry may have been pared-back, but there were plenty of new ideas. Basketball shorts were given the silk treatment for a chill alternative to a knee-length skirt, while the leisure suit was revamped in dark denim with contrast stitching. Outerwear went glossy with a high-shine trench adding uncharacteristic edge, while an array of faux fur coats offered a modern alternative to vintage-sourced pelts.
5 February 2019
Trina Turk’s vision for Spring centers around wanderlust. Dubbed “the tourist,” her new collection focuses on the thrill of the journey, be it a trip to Palm Beach, Florida, or a day spent thinking of voyages past. After stepping back in time with a jazz-themed Resort show, Turk traded the kinetic energy of the 1920s for pieces that would fit right into a Slim Aarons travel diary. His and hers pastel suits, reversible halter tops, and splashy jumpsuits for men and women were made for yacht-hopping or at least sunning poolside.When you need a caftan and a sundress, Turk is the obvious choice, especially when she gives in to her love of prints and unexpected color combinations. Skipping black altogether, she infused jacquards and check patterns with the deepest shades of indigo that provided a welcome contrast to brighter fare in shades of salmon and turquoise. Rainbow chevron stripes on separates added to the getaway vibe as did a range of separates featuring the phrase “I love you” in multiple languages.The collection’s high points came when Turk doubled down on her themes, creating looks that reveled in their kitsch factor. Wide-leg silk pants covered in a postcard print will only appeal to a certain demographic, but niche pieces are among Turk’s most memorable. It’s not every man who will be bold enough to don a yellow jumpsuit, and it takes a certain sort of extrovert to pull off head-to-toe florals, but for those in search of such pleasures, Turk has things covered.
5 September 2018
Trina Turk looked to jazz as a jumping-off point for her new Resort collection, a move that produced brighter, blown-up versions of her signature print work, like bold florals, on pieces like breezy wide-leg pants and jumpsuits. She divided the lineup into two drops, one for a more party-centric theme that will hit stores toward the end of the year and the other for post–New Year months with a focus on more relaxed pieces. For holiday season, a one-shoulder black and white floral print shift dress with a caped back proved to be the most elegant. In the second half of her Resort release, the knits stood out. A retro-style striped sleeveless dress offered some nice texture, while for her more pared-back client—or simply someone looking to cover up—there was a lush white alpaca wrap.Turk also included her husband Jonathan Skow’s Mr. Turk line in her presentation and lookbook. And why not? Customers—both men and women—are snapping up the natty suits. (Turk noted that her Palm Springs shoppers are the biggest fans of the mixing and matching method.) In fact, Ms. Turk was wearing a dapper Mr. Turk jacket with her own label’s trousers; it was a fun and seasonless look.
7 June 2018
After delving into Mexican textiles for Pre-Fall, Trina Turk used her Fall collection to explore another side of the nation’s creative output. Focusing on interiors, she drew inspiration from the work of Tim Street-Porter, whose sumptuous photographs from Mérida and the rest of the Yucatán center on the beauty of hidden household treasures. Street-Porter’s work isn’t new to Turk—she penned the forward to his latest book, an ode to Palm Springs—but his aesthetic provided fresh stimulus.Keeping the colors warm, with shades of aubergine, rust, and turquoise playing off each other nicely, Turk introduced new patterns that called to mind the details of Talavera pottery. Geometric grids and hexagons covered wide-leg trousers and coordinating overcoats, while stylized florals made their way onto jumpsuits and pencil skirts. Paying homage to her source material, Turk veered into overly literal territory with oversize ponchos and colorful knits, but quickly changed tack with an influx of ’70s-style casualwear that honed in on the era’s taste for plaids, jacquards, and chunky textures.Looking to the past is nice, but the interchangeable nature of Turk’s main line and her Mr. Turk collection is what kept things current. Sharing several of the same prints and an overarching mood, the two collections are destined to be mixed and matched. Cool girls will gravitate to the intricate peacock embroidery covering menswear blazers, while guys may find themselves picking up one of the tweed overcoats. Ditching boundaries, sharing wardrobes, and creating something unique—what’s more modern than that?
5 February 2018
Trina Turk is ready to cut loose. After a Fall foray into the moodiness of L.A. noir and a Resort season anchored by jewel-toned solids, Turk returns to the breezy Californian eclecticism her label is known for. Inspired by California’s record-setting post-drought rainfall and the bounty of wildflowers it brought forth, Turk delivered a Spring lineup focused on the botanical. Cultivating looks that skewed SoCal by way of Palm Beach, Florida, she revamped hit silhouettes like A-line minidresses and flowing tunics in punchy colors and floral patterns that nodded to vintage Pucci prints.Balancing the vibrancy of her “superbloom” segment with an array of black and white pieces, Turk played with pattern on a subtler scale using stripes as a neutral. Putting graphic plaids on ruffle-hem dresses and horizontal bands on wide-leg trousers, she provided something to wear with the chambray shirts and ruffle blouses that made up the subdued second half of the collection. Destined for power clashing, her separates also paired well with the bolder options, adding a touch of normalcy to the fussiness of floral halter tops and candy-color blouses.As with any unbridled exploration of print and color, mileage may vary. Turk’s wildest pieces are not for everyone, and at times, the proliferation of flowers, ladybug prints, and madras feels overwrought. Still, there are plenty of outside-the-box ideas to appreciate—particularly for menswear. Carrying the most vibrant patterns over to her Mr. Turk label, she offers men kilts, rompers, and owl-print jacquards that demand of the wearer both confidence and a cheery outlook.
6 September 2017