Collina Strada

Summary

Former equestrian turned-fashion designer Hillary Taymour launched eco-conscious fashion brand Collina Strada after studying iconic fashion brands and receiving degrees in Product Development and Business Management. Sustainability and transparency are the pillars of Collina Strada but Taymour presents it in a light and fun way to engage people and make sustainability relatable. She incorporates eco-friendly practices such as using printed deadstock material- up-cycling tie-dye sweatshirts- and creating rhinestone-encrusted water bottles.

History

With an Associates Degree in Product Development and Bachelors in Business Management from The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising.. LA-based equestrian turned-fashion designer Hillary Taymour started making bags for herself in 2008 while working in men’s product development at Guess Jeans. Her oversize and exaggerated take on the hobo was such a hit that she made some for friends who loved it. Inspired by the encouragement and sales.. Hillary Taymour launched her fashion label and named it Collina Strada.

The beginning was modest. Hillary focused on distinct textures, sharp detailing and original styles which are a cross between vintage and modern. Luck was on her side. The collections caught-and held-the attention of potential consumers, fashion editors and retailers. At the advice of a friend and fashion designer.. she took a few samples to a fashion trade event in Las Vegas.. and Anthropologie placed an order.

Sustainability and transparency is the founding stone of her label but she presents in a light, fun way so people can relate and embrace sustainability as a way of life. A few examples are printed deadstock materials, upcycled tie-dye sweatshirts and rhinestone-encrusted water bottles. How does she make it fun and still drive the eco-conscious message home? For SS20 a semi-nude fashion model ran down Collina Strada’s runway with “waste not, want not”  painted all over her body!! Inclusivity is standard for Taymour’s brand, which casts models, creatives, artists and tastemakers from all walks of life.

“You can have fun and still be [eco] conscious” Taymour tells Vogue. “What’s going on with the planet is serious — we know that. Let’s talk about it in a way that doesn’t sound so depressing and apocalyptic. No one’s going to change the way they live if it isn’t represented in a fun way.” For AW20 Taymour undertook a new up-cycled fabric project in partnership with The OR Foundation- an organization that which works in Ghana to repurpose discarded clothing. For this collection OR organization brought several T-shirts bales back from Ghana for Taymour who then repurposed them to make fresh apparel.

CFDA Member since 2021 Collina Strada is described as “a platform for social issues and awareness. Taymour’s main concern is staying true to her craft while also becoming a fully sustainable and radically transparent brand in the near future. Based in New York, the brand’s core signature transcends trends. Taymour offers easy-to-wear clothes imbued with a fearlessly fluid attitude.. re-inventing classics and unexpected details..”

Today Collina Strada continues to remain true to its values and is appreciated by the best in the business. On SS23 WWD wrote, “Collina Strada’s Hillary Taymour corralled what is perhaps her biggest audience yet to the edge of South Williamsburg, where she unleashed a procession of ‘butterflies.’ Inspired by milkweed and its life support for an ecosystem of caterpillars, moths and butterflies…”

Vision

Collina Strada, founded by Hillary Taymour, is a luxury fashion brand with a clear and bold vision centered on sustainability, creativity, and innovation. At its core, the fashion brand seeks to combine eco-conscious practices with unique and distinctive fashion aesthetics, creating a bridge between the vintage and the modern. Taymour’s vision is to redefine sustainability in a way that feels light, fun, and approachable, allowing her consumers to connect with the message on a personal level. By infusing joy into sustainable fashion, Collina Strada promotes eco-friendly habits as an engaging lifestyle choice rather than a burdensome responsibility.

A fundamental aspect of the luxury fashion brand’s vision is its commitment to sustainability through thoughtful material selection and production practices. Collina Strada utilizes deadstock fabrics, up-cycles garments, and incorporates sustainable methods into its designs, ensuring minimal waste while maintaining the integrity of the fashion itself. This balance between eco-consciousness and creativity is evident in every piece, allowing the brand to craft original designs that resonate with both the environmentally-conscious and the fashion-forward.

In further alignment with its vision, Collina Strada collaborates with organizations like The OR Foundation in Ghana, repurposing discarded clothing to extend the life cycle of fashion products. These partnerships highlight the brand’s dedication to a sustainable future, not only by reducing waste but also by actively participating in global efforts to create a more ethical fashion industry. Collina Strada’s vision is to inspire its customers to see sustainability as both attainable and stylish, blending responsibility with self-expression through fashion.

Mission Statement

Collina Strada’s mission is to serve as more than just a luxury fashion brand—it is a platform for driving climate awareness, social change, and self-expression. By embracing sustainability as a continuous journey, the fashion brand seeks to inspire its customers to adopt more responsible practices in their own lives. Through its innovative designs and ethical production methods, Collina Strada aims to make sustainability relatable and accessible, encouraging consumers to see eco-conscious choices as both necessary and stylish.

At the heart of Collina Strada’s mission is the belief that fashion can be a powerful tool for communication and activism. By blending creativity with purpose, the brand uses its platform to raise awareness about pressing environmental and social issues. Each piece not only reflects a commitment to sustainability but also serves as a statement of individuality and self-expression, encouraging people to embrace personal style while supporting a better, more sustainable world.

Products and Services

Collina Strada, an eco-conscious fashion brand, began its journey with statement bags but has since expanded its product portfolio to womenswear and fashion accessories. The luxury fashion brand’s womenswear collection includes a diverse selection of dresses, tops, pants, shorts, and outerwear, all marked by its signature mix of bold textures, sharp detailing, and inventive designs. Each piece is thoughtfully created with sustainability in mind, often using upcycled materials, deadstock fabrics, and eco-friendly production methods. This commitment to sustainability is woven into the fabric of the brand’s unique, avant-garde aesthetic, blending vintage influences with modern sensibilities.

Beyond its core fashion line, Collina Strada offers fashion accessories that reflect the luxury brand’s playful yet purposeful approach to design. One of its standout offerings includes rhinestone-encrusted water bottles, which merge functionality with fashion while promoting the importance of reusability and reducing plastic waste. These bottles, like all of Collina Strada’s products, serve as a statement piece, combining environmental responsibility with striking, innovative design. Through its growing range of products and commitment to sustainable fashion, Collina Strada offers its customers the opportunity to express themselves stylishly while contributing to a more eco-conscious future.

Awards and Recognition

Collina Strada is recognised for its innovative approach to sustainable fashion and its vibrant, avant-garde designs. The luxury fashion brand combines eco-conscious practices like upcycling and using deadstock fabrics with playful, bold aesthetics, making it a standout in both ethical and creative fashion.

Key Team

Founder fashion designer Hillary Taymour

References

• Official website Collina Strada
• CFDA Member Hillary Taymour CFDA
• Hillary Taymour on Building and Nurturing Community in a Pandemic BoF
• Collina Strada Spring 2023 RTW Vogue
• Willy Chavarria, Hillary Taymour Talk State of the Fashion Industry WWD
• How Colin Strada is making fashion sustainable and fun Vogue
• Sustainability is no fad for eco-chic label Collina Strada New York Post
• These Designers Want to Fight Climate Change. Just Don’t Call Them ‘Sustainable’. BoF
• Reimagine Fashion Creative Review
• Hillary Taymour, founder and designer of Collina Strada Glossy
• Hillary Taymour, the Woman Behind Collina Strada NewsWeek
• Hillary Taymour gives practical gifts with a sustainable focus Financial Times
• Instagram account of Collina Strada Instagram
• Why Collina Strada Designer Hillary Taymour Refuses to Call Her Brand Sustainable GQ
• Youtube channel of Collina Strada Youtube
• Facebook account of Collina Strada Facebook