Atlanta’s fashionistas are going on an haute African safari at the RAGTRADE Atlanta fashion show thanks to designer Natt Taylor. “My spring 2015 collection, Safari Elegance, will be showcased at RAGTRADE Atlanta. It is that perfect combination for the woman who works and has an enviable social calendar, where she has a million things going on in her life after work and has to stay fly no matter where she shows up but has no time to go home and change clothes,” shares the accountant-turned-designer.
Having watched a few episodes of “Animal Planet,” surprisingly she was inspired by felines for this new collection. She never knew she liked cats. “I was inspired by the prints and the colors,” shares Taylor, who is widely recognized for the clean lines and sophisticated aesthetic of her designs.
The NATT TAYLOR womenswear collection celebrates the natural feminine form with bold color, sensual shapes, and subtle details. Inspired by women challenged with finding the perfect style balance between work and life, NATT TAYLOR offers a fresh, new twist on classic silhouettes which transition easily from day to evening. When it was featured in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution and on Daily Candy, it received rave reviews from Macy’s buyers and other local boutiques.
Here, you can learn a little more about the designer.
How did you go about selecting materials for the “Safari Elegance” collection?
All of my materials are wash-friendly. I use a lot of cotton sateen and ponte knits. A couple of the pieces have sequins and chiffon. For the most part, the collection is wearable and everything isn’t dry clean only.
What is your background in fashion?
I graduated from Morris Brown College where I studied accounting. I started my career in corporate America and am a self-taught designer. I learned to sew while in high school. I allowed creativity to take over and became a designer full time in the early 2000s.
What was the tipping point when you decided you’d make the transition from accounting to fashion?
I designed for a couple of weddings (trial by fire) … debriefed and decided that I would stick with it. My career started to build from there. I grew so confident, I left my job a few months later, I was broke. I ended up moving back to my hometown in New Jersey. Being so close in proximity to New York gave me access – it’s fashion capital. I knew it was where I needed to be.
Check out the NATT TAYLOR collection on natttaylor.com and see it live at RAGTRADE Atlanta, which takes place on Saturday, August 23, 2014 at W Hotel Atlanta in Buckhead. Visit ragtradeatlanta.com for tickets and details.
