Taylor

Rebecca (1969). New Zealand-born fashion designer. At the age of 22, just after taking her degree from the Massey University Design School, she left her country to move to New York. She entered the world of fashion through the tradesmen’s entrance, preparing, as her biography tells the story, “three hundred tuna-fish sandwiches for the guests at Cynthia Rowley’s runway presentation.” She worked intensely for five years and finally met Elizabeth Bugdaycay, with whom she decided to establish her own womenswear label. She debuted in 1999 during the New York Fashion Week. Success came immediately. She offered a style that emphasized femininity, blending vintage details from the 1960s and 1970s. Her pink cashmere cardigan with a leopard-spot print, to be worn either with jeans or with an evening gown, became an emblem of her aesthetic. Other distinctive features were the use of bright colors (black was entirely eliminated) and a preference for natural fabrics. In 2000 she was awarded the prestigious Perry Ellis prize for a young designer of women’s clothing. Among her clients are the actresses Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez and Courtney Love. She designed many of the outfits worn by the stars of the television series Sex and the City.