The Making of a taylor Garment

BEHIND TAYLOR

Did you know a taylor garment takes just under a year to go from conception through to completion? Long before it reaches the shop floor, it has passed through countless hands, fittings and refinements. Our design team is working nearly two seasons ahead, sourcing exceptional fabrics and developing silhouettes that will layer seamlessly into your wardrobe.

At taylor, nothing is rushed. Each collection is built with intention — balancing innovation with longevity, and artistry with wearability. Follow us behind the scenes as we take you through the considered process of bringing a taylor collection to life.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

Creative Director Vicki Taylor is a fabric-led designer. A collection begins with the discovery of a special fabrication from mills Vicki has been working with for over 27 years. taylor works predominantly with premium European and Japanese mills, selecting materials for their hand-feel, longevity, and ability to hold form. taylor works with a carefully selected network of suppliers, both locally and around the world. Natural fibres feature strongly, with the team hand-selecting textiles, using regenerated and consciously produced raw materials wherever possible.

From here, inspiration is explored, garments are sketched and workshoped, the archive is revisited to bring shape inspiration, and the collection slowly takes shape.

COLLECTION REVIEW

The design and workroom team review the collection to ensure it has all the right elements. It's important that the new collection flows on from the collection prior, so you get the most out of your investment pieces, season after season.

Vicki works from a 'recipe' to ensure the new collection has the right number of pants, tops, skirts and dresses to create outfits right across the year. These are then paired with previous collections to ensure colourways and shapes work with new styles.

SAMPLING

Once the collection begins to take shape, each design is translated into a pattern. Working with a trusted pattern marker, who has become like family, Vicki and the design team work through the construction of each garment and how to translate complex sketches into wearable garments.

Most taylor garments are stored in the traditional way, in cardboard physical patterns over digital. From here, the team create samples with local makers across Auckland.

FITTINGS

As samples begin to arrive, the first round of fittings begin. The design team work closely with our pattern maker and local machinists, refining each garment until it has the right fit and feel. This could mean multiple rounds of revisions for one garment, to ensure it's perfect; from changing fabrics, slight fit changes or adding more shape when it fits on a body.

PHOTOSHOOT

Our collections are often shot six months in advance. Led by Vicki Taylor, the collection comes to life in the studio, shooting campaign and e-commerce imagery. This is where the collection takes shape visually.

We shoot our imagery early to get lookbooks ready for our teams and wholesale manager, before we present to our incredible stockists in New Zealand & Australia.

PRODUCTION

Once the garments are approved by design, our Production Manager takes charge. Our "Five Hands" manufacturing is a reflection of the multiple skilled makers who contribute to a single garment. The pattern maker, cutter, machinist, finisher and presser each play a role, bringing care to every stage.

A few special pieces are made in-house, depending on their complexity.

QUALITY CONTROL

As garments are finished and delivered to the workroom, the collection goes through quality control. Each style is hand-checked, measured and approved. When it's all hands on deck, you'll often find our Head Office team helping approve pieces in the workroom.

This part of the garment process is extremely important, helping us pick up any irregularities in garments before they head to stores. We want to ensure every piece of taylor is at the best quality possible.

MARKETING

Before the collection launches, our marketing and online teams work behind the scenes, getting it ready for launch. Product is loaded online, lookbooks and imagery are printed for stores, press releases are sent to media and our social media, and advertising is prepared.

LAUNCH

Garments head around the country on special apparel couriers, thanks to our Workroom Manager. It's then handed over to our amazing in-store teams to bring the collection to life on their mannequins and racks.

At taylor we don't have a stock warehouse, wanting every piece to be on the shop floor ready for you to explore.

When you slip into a piece of taylor, you’re wearing more than a garment, you’re wearing months of considered design, collaboration and refinement. From the first fabric swatch discovered in a European mill to the final press in our Auckland workroom, every step is intentional. Every seam, every proportion, every fabrication choice has been tested, reworked and perfected.

This is why a taylor piece feels different. It’s designed to move with you, to layer with seasons past and future, and to hold its integrity over time. Nearly a year in the making, so it can live in your wardrobe for many more to come.