Palm Springs Cool
It's hard to imagine Trina Turk's sunny, retro-inspired apparel having taken root anywhere but in Southern California. The vibrant colors, the vintage prints, the sportswear silhouettes — it's a line that, over the years, has helped define the lighter, brighter side of West Coast style.
And to celebrate fifteen years in the fashion biz this year, Turk has "returned to her roots" with a collection that's all about Palm Springs — a city whose zany, martini-soaked style legacy has profoundly inspired the L.A. native since launching the line.
We caught up with Turk to chat about the "Palm Springs Eternal" collection, what it feels like to be a fashion vet in L.A. and who and what continues to inspire her work.
PRINT APPEAL: Breezy looks from the new collection.
Style Section L.A.: Tell me about your love affair with Palm Springs.
Trina Turk: An iconic Slim Aarons photo of a poolside fashion show at the Kaufman house in Palm Springs was on my inspiration board when I first started Trina Turk 15 years ago, in an extra bedroom in our Los Feliz home. Our brand has become associated with the cocktail and poolside lifestyle of the desert, so I decided to go back to my roots for inspiration for this collection.
Your use of prints is amazing in this collection. Where did they come from — are they vintage inspired?
We get print inspiration everywhere. Some of the prints are vintage inspired, but some are created from new digital artwork. Digital printing has really revolutionized textile prints and it's something we're incorporating often into our collections. I will always love vintage prints, but adding digital prints to the mix makes the collection modern.
Why do you think you're drawn to prints so perennially?
I grew up in California in the 60s and 70s, so somehow the colorful clothing being worn then must have made an impression. Working on the fabrications, prints and color combinations is one of my favorite parts of my job. After 25 years of creating print colorways, there is still nothing more satisfying than seeing the first strikeoff of a print that looks great.
PREPPED: Retro-inspired menswear looks from Trina Turk.
Fifteen 15 years is a long time to be in the fashion biz — especially in L.A. Do you feel like a veteran?
I do feel like a veteran, but I'm glad to have the early days of starting the business behind me. It was not easy. We have weathered two severe economic downturns and endless fashion trends, many of which were not appropriate for our brand! I'm busier than ever, even though there are more people working at Trina Turk. We started as a small women's contemporary clothing collection, and have evolved into an optimistic mini-lifestyle brand encompassing ready to wear, accessories, swimwear and Trina Turk residential for the home — all inspired by living in California. It's a great feeling to look back on what we've accomplished in the past fifteen years. And I just have to add that we still manufacture 50% of our clothing right here in LA!
When borrowing looks/prints/silhouettes from the past, what eras do you find yourself mining again and again?
I gravitate toward the late 60s and early 70s for prints, and everything we do is rooted in classic American sportswear. My fashion design heroes are Rudi Gernreich, Bonnie Cashin, Claire McCardell, Donald Brooks, Pauline Trigere.
What's next for the brand?
We're launching Mr. Turk menswear at our Los Angeles boutique in February. Everything in the Mr. Turk collection is limited edition, and it's previously only been available in Palm Springs and East Hampton. The collection has grown enough to be housed in L.A. and sold on our website too.
Also, we will be opening a boutique at Highland Park Village in Dallas in May. Our new collection of upholstery fabric — Trina Turk Indoor/Outdoor for Schumacher — just launched this month. I'm working on a book with Rose Apodaca about the evolution of the Trina Turk brand. We are also launching Trina Turk bedding this Spring. And we're hoping to do shoes someday soon.