At 25, fashion designer Tanya Taylor launched her namesake brand in 2012, taking the New York fashion scene by storm. Equipped with academic training from McGill University, Central Saint Martins, and Parsons, in conjunction with her unwavering belief in her vision, Taylor transformed her clothing line into the successful multifaceted brand it is today. Tanya integrates her love of color into all of her collections, but her dedication to the arts, activism, and inclusivity are most prevalent throughout her work. 



Whether it’s getting people to register to vote, providing a range of sizes beyond the industry standard, or her ongoing collaboration with Memorial Sloane Kettering, Tanya uses her talents, connections, and love for fashion to make an impact. Host Kirsten Holtz Naim catches up with Tanya to talk about her career journey in the fashion industry, strategic decisions that helped her thrive as a brand during the pandemic, and of course, reflecting on one of her favorite fashion moments of all time.


Enjoy the episode? Support the podcast by buying a cup of coffee! Learn more here: 

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/afashionmoment



Connect with Us!

Instagram: @afashionmoment

Twitter: @A_FashionMoment

Email: AFashionMomentPodcast@gmail.com

Website: A Fashion Moment

Show Notes:



Shop Tanya Taylor’s collections now at https://www.tanyataylor.com/



Follow Tanya Taylor on Instagram @tanyataylor and on Facebook @tanyataylornyc  



Shop Tanya Taylor x Paintbox Nail Polish: https://gretta.co/products/tanya-taylor-x-paintbox-nail-polish 



Follow Toronto Fashion Week on Instagram @tfw 



Learn more about McGill University: https://www.mcgill.ca/ 



Vogue Business article covering Tanya’s commitment to size inclusivity, “The payoffs of plus-size: https://www.voguebusiness.com/fashion/tanya-taylor-plus-size-inclusivity-profit 



House Beautiful article, “Fashion Designer Tanya Taylor Launches Home Collection”:

https://www.housebeautiful.com/shopping/best-stores/a36674977/fashion-designer-tanya-taylor-launches-spring-summer-home-decor/ 



Glamour article, “Designer Tanya Taylor Debuts Clever NYFW Film Series to Encourage Voting”:

 https://www.glamour.com/story/tanya-taylor-nyfw-film-series-to-encourage-voting 



Learn more about Tanya Taylor & Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: 

https://www.tanyataylor.com/pages/msk 



Learn more about HENSE’s mural work in Washington, D.C.: https://savingplaces.org/stories/slideshow-update-painted-dc-church-now-artistic-inside#.YdIl4mjMLIU 



Learn more about the notes left at the White House during that infamous Obama farewell party: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9445203/Dave-Chappelle-says-celebrities-left-dirty-notes-White-House-Trump-Obama-party.html

Season 2, Episode 18: Tanya Taylor

Constance C.R. White is a fashion content creator, editor, writer, and style expert. She studied journalism at New York University and received her MBA from Northwestern University, blending her penchant for reporting and the world of business. Constance landed roles at Women’s Wear Daily, ELLE, and would later cover fashion for The New York Times. Constance was also a contributor to many publications like the Chicago Tribune and became a frequent TV guest on programs like The Today Show and MSNBC. In 2003, 

Constance was appointed as the style director, brand consultant, and spokesperson at eBay and would later become the editor-in-chief at ESSENCE magazine. She is the author of books like How to Slay and StyleNoir. She is also the editor of the hit book From the Editors of Essence: Salute to Michelle Obama and has been named twice as one of the “Top 50 People in Fashion” by The New York Daily News. Host Kirsten Holtz Naim sits down with Constance to discuss her fashion career, the world of editorial, what it means to be a great journalist, and why it’s important to serve your audience.

Enjoy the episode? Support the podcast by buying a cup of coffee! Learn more at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/afashionmoment

Connect with Us!

Instagram: @afashionmoment

Twitter: @A_FashionMoment

Email: AFashionMomentPodcast@gmail.com

Website: AFashionMoment.com

Show notes:

Follow Constance on Instagram @officialcwhite 

Visit http://constancecrwhite.com/ 

Avenue Magazine article by Constance C.R. White, “Anifa Mvuemba, a New Face of Fashion” https://avenuemagazine.com/anifa-mvuemba-fashion/ 

Learn more about Pam Grier: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/when-you-earn-it-they-cant-take-it-away-an-interview-with-pam-grier 

Learn more about New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute: https://journalism.nyu.edu/ 

Learn More about Carrie Donovan: https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/13/nyregion/carrie-donovan-one-of-a-kind-fashion-editor-and-tv-s-old-navy-lady-dies-at-73.html 

Check out the Old Navy commercial featuring the legendary Carrie Donovan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-DYN3MBi34 

Learn more about Claudia Payne: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/business/media/17asktheeditors.html 

Follow Monique Greenwood on Twitter @MoniqueAkwaaba 

Check out Monique’s Akwaaba bed and breakfasts locations: https://www.akwaaba.com/ 

Learn more about Agnes Cammock by following her on Instagram @agnescammock 

Learn more about Darlene Gillard Jones: https://www.darlenegillardjones.com/

Season 2, Episode 19: Constance C.R. White

At an early age, Cynthia Rowley, a native of Illinois, discovered her love of sewing. With an artistic and creative gift that spanned beyond her garments, Cynthia studied painting and fine arts at the Art Institute of Chicago. She would later pivot into fashion after observing the constraints of the art world environment, shifting into an industry that would allow her to be creatively free to express herself. After completing her academic studies, Cynthia moved to New York City, ready to pursue her dream of becoming a designer. 

After a decade of building her business, Cynthia would be honored by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) with the Perry Ellis Award for New Fashion Talent in 1994. Cynthia’s brand philosophy, that fashion should be an adventure, catapulted her line into a full-blown brand containing a series of products, licenses, and brand collaborations. She would also author the Swell book series, featuring her illustration and writing talents. Combining her penchant for all things pretty and sporty, Cynthia collaborated with Roxy Quicksilver to produce surf and snow collections and even launched a CR Surf Camp in Montauk. 

Cynthia is also the recipient of The Art Institute of Chicago’s Legend of Fashion award and the Designer of the Year award at the 37th Annual American Apparel and Footwear Association American Image Awards. Host Kirsten Holtz Naim took a moment to sit down with Cynthia to discuss the importance of listening to your audience, how naivete can be a form of power, the importance of an internship, and not taking “no” for an answer.  

Enjoy the episode? Support the podcast by buying a cup of coffee! Learn more here:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/afashionmoment

Show Notes:

Shop the collections at https://cynthiarowley.com/

Follow Cynthia on Instagram @cynthiarowley 

Check out Cynthia’s podcast, Ageless with her daughter Kit Keenan: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ageless/id1462642371 

Follow Cynthia’s podcast on Instagram @agelesspodcast 

Forbes Article: ROXY And Cynthia Rowley Launch New Snow And Surf Collection With Ambassadors Chloe Kim And Kelia Moniz:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michellebruton/2021/11/03/roxy-and-cynthia-rowley-launch-new-snow-and-surf-collection-with-ambassadors-chloe-kim-and-kelia-moniz/

Learn more about The Art Institute of Chicago: https://www.artic.edu/ 

The New York Times Article (1994) Announcing Cynthia’s first CFDA Award:  https://www.nytimes.com/1994/11/18/style/chronicle-864757.html 

Learn more about CR Surf Camp: https://cynthiarowley.com/blogs/news/crsurfcamp-2019

A Fashion Moment with Kirsten Holtz Naim