NEW YORK — With a big infusion of southern California spirit, Trina Turk has never met a bold print or color she didn't like. Her collections are always bright and optimist, so it's no wonder that she's made a big splash in Texas, with a boutique in Dallas and two in Houston (one recently opened in The Woodlands and another is on the way to the Galleria later this month).
For spring 2014, the designer of perpetually happy clothes has given customers even more reason to smile with what may be her wildest, most colorful collection yet. It started with her fall collection, in stores now, which was inspired by a drive Turk took from the east side of Los Angeles to Malibu, and resulted in "lots of big, lucious florals, which we're getting an amazing response to," she said backstage before the presentation of her spring 2015 collection.
"In Texas, women love pretty clothes, so I think those big florals are really important. And color. We always do color."
"In Texas, women love pretty clothes, so I think those big florals are really important. And color. We always do color."
For spring, Turk continues the "big beautiful florals" theme with a collection she labels "Pop Art Flower Mart." "I was inspired by going to the downtown LA Flower Mart and everything you see there, from very expensive exotic blooms to ticky-tacky dyed carnations," she said. "We're mixing more of those really beautiful florals with a lot of geometric prints."
The collection ranges from shorts, tops, maxi-dresses and coats in bright poppy prints to more subdued florals and pinpoint petal jacquards. An orange lace romper and "red hot" crepe hostess gown make a bold fashion statement while languid patio dresses in a leopard and sky print or in a clingy sunset pattern are made for lounging around.
The collection also includes some wild looks for men in the Mr. Turk collection, including a Thurston blazer in tropical tiger or poppy print (we're guessing it's named for the moneybags character in Gilligan's Island), board shorts in a colorful digital ikat print, yellow slacks in a daisy jacquard and a pale green plaid suit dotted with orange cubes.
"If you're afraid of color you're not a Mr. Turk customer," Turk said. "But we've noticed there are certain guys who wear it who get a lot of attention, which they love, and then they become devotees after they go to a party and are the life of the party."
Having expanded to shoes and home furnishings, including bedding, decorative pillows and towels, Turk is now offering handbags, too. "We're like a mini-lifestyle brand and it really all goes back to the print and the color. That's been the natural evolution of how we've grown as a company. And I think that's what our customer wants from us," she said.
And she believes that the Lone Star State is the perfect place to get Turked.
"Texas has always been a great market for us," she said. "We had our eye on Houston but were waiting for the right space to come up at the Galleria and we finally got a space right in the middle. The Woodlands came up as well and we thought there would be nice synergy of having the two stores opening around the same time to play off of each other."
She hopes to be in Houston later this year to celebrate with parties at both stores.
Trina Turk poppy print top and doubleweave luxe Valera short.
