Tanner Fletcher is a genderless fashion and lifestyle brand based in Brooklyn, New York. The brand was founded in 2020 by Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell. The couple moved to NYC from the Midwest to finish school and gain experience in their industries, Tanner working in interior design and staging and Fletcher working in the business of fashion at companies such as Saint Laurent and Barneys New York. Three short years later they have started their own label, merging their two worlds together. Although neither Tanner or Fletcher are classically trained in apparel design, their eye for curation and style creates a very distinct world for their clients to live in. The brand incorporates modern takes on vintage fashion and interior design and aims to refine consumers’ personal style and vision.

Photography: Loft Creative Group
Hair: Mike Martinez
Makeup: Kaori Chloe Soda

What inspired this year’s Spring/Summer collection?
All Tanner Fletcher collections are inspired by the same general formula. A dash of interior design, nods to different eras (especially a mashup of mid century and victorian eras), and timeless clean silhouettes.

In the Spring/Summer 2022 collection specifically, you see this formula play out with soothing tones of cream, muted yellow, and sage, layered atop airy knit cashmere, tufted silk, and lustrous mohair to create timeless staples that feel familiar and contemporary at once. A sense of modernity stems from our renewed use of fabrics, illustrated by vintage linens with crisp floral graphics, crinkled silk and crisp recycled cottons that grant the wearer the ability to breathe new life into deadstock fabrics with their own unique flair. Lighter pieces are grounded with structured wool separates, generous tweed suiting and sleek PVC numbers. Beyond an intentional selection of unique fabrics and textiles, we utilize our detail-driven eye for decor in crafting the perfect original finishing touches for each garment. Eye-catching details include up-cycled chandelier crystal embellishments and tortoise buttons on suiting, delicate fabric trim on silky sets, as well as ornate gold and ivory buttons on knits.

How did your modern-day influences interact with the inspiration you pull from vintage fashion and interior design to create this collection?
Our minds are always spinning in this way. We love to take something that is seemingly outdated whether it be an old sofa from the 70’s, a Victorian oil painting, or even old wall paper samples and turn them into something modern that is chic, cool and wearable while nostalgic at the same time. For example, in SS22 we made use of chandelier crystals as embellishment, tufted silk typically used for upholstery and drapery, mohair and tapestry blankets, and even bed linens and household doilies from the 1970’s and earlier.

What personal thoughts and emotions went into the creation of this collection?
Our collections are all very personal. Each detail, fabric and technique are carefully chosen by us. We see clothing/interiors/lifestyle to be an art form, especially when combined. While we design, we put our own nostalgia into each piece pulling from our memories growing up. For example, Fletcher often looks to his Grandmother’s house for inspiration where he spent a lot of time in his childhood. The house was built in the early 70s and is a representation of how a regular family lived in that time. From wrought iron railings and lighting, popcorn ceilings to shag carpets and Hollywood Regency bathrooms. I remember everyone always saying how outdated the place was which is true but looking back it gives me such a feeling of comfort and home. Those are the feelings that come across in our designs.

Several pieces in the collection are made with repurposed materials. How did you find and select them?
Hunting and sourcing vintage textiles is quickly becoming one of our favorite things to do. Although it can be difficult, there are so many deadstock and antique textiles available at flea markets, vintage shops, online marketplaces, etc. We are already inspired by vintage fabrics and prints so we thought it was a no-brainer to be able to offer pieces made from authentic fabrics from another time period. This process will continue to grow in future collections and is extremely sustainable. We are taking it a step further by launching the “Bric-A-Brac” category on our website which is all vintage and found home objects that coordinate with our RTW. This is one of the ways we see fashion and interiors working side by side. Additionally we will be making pillows, throws and other interior centric pieces that will use left over fabrics from producing the RTW. Some left over materials are also utilized as pocket linings in our denim trousers.

What does genderless fashion mean to you?
This is also a very personal topic for both of us. For all of our lives, we have both shopped between Women’s and Men’s departments for our personal wardrobes. There always seemed to be a stigma around doing this, especially where we grew up. For some reason, if it wasn’t in the Men’s department then it felt like it was off limits or would be looked at as “weird” for us to buy something from the Women’s department. We don’t want others to have to feel this way. For us, genderless fashion takes away these unneccesary labels. We believe that if you like a piece of clothing or anything for that matter, you should be able to rock it without feeling like it wasn’t meant for you either because it is cut in a way that isn’t flattering or simply because it is in the “wrong section”. Additionally, much of the genderless clothing we’re seeing today is all sweatshirts, sweatpants, tees, etc. Just because something is genderless doesn’t mean it has to lose all of it’s charm and elegance. If you identify as a more feminine person, a more masculine person or somewhere in between, Tanner Fletcher is designed to work for you regardless of gender or sexuality. We hope to be a leader on this front and one day make genderless shopping the new normal.

Was there an overall mood or message this collection intended to convey?
The mood that the overall brand is intended to convey and can be seen in the SS22 collection is an uptown meets downtown vibe. Our customers cover a wide range of ages. Living in NYC, we describe our core aesthetic as Bushwick meets the Upper East Side. There is a wonderful juxtaposition that happens here. It’s where stuffy meets cool, youthful meets sophisticated, and wearable meets couture.

This color palette features many muted and neutral tones, how did you select these colors and how do they support the meaning of the collection?
We both have a very picky eye when it comes to color. We feel that color should be used in a way where it is an accent and can be versatile throughout the seasons but also stay relevant for years to come. Our favorite color to use is Ivory. We normally start with light, airy neutral colors like ivory, browns, beiges, blacks, etc and add color to that depending on the season and direction of the given collection. We tend to gravitate towards muted light colors, some pastels and many jewel tones. We often let some of the found objects or textiles that we’ve picked up along the way guide us to the right color palette.

Your brand is about helping people cultivate and develop their own style, how do you think this collection accomplishes that?
Our goal is to help our clients find their true inner style which is different for every single person. There are many ways that Tanner Fletcher in general and the SS22 collection accomplishes this. One is the versatility of the clothing. Everything can be worn by any gender in both casual and formal settings. Two is the launch of the “Bric-a-Brac” category launching in February which is an extension of the RTW. This means that the Tanner Fletcher style can go further than just how you dress yourself but also how you dress your home. Lastly is our core collection which is evolving as each collection is released. This collection keeps many of our basic or signature silhouettes in existing colors and new colors and allows them to always be available to our customers. The core collection is timeless and will be able to be utilized as both pieces you can wear on their own or pieces that are perfect for layering. All these things combined, we hope to cultivate our customer’s creative and self expression which is an evolutionary cycle.

Socials.
Instagram: @tanner.fletcher
Facebook: @Tanner Fletcher
Pinterest: @tannerfletcherofficial

Gender Fluid Designer To Watch: Tanner Fletcher