Tyler Neasloney, Project Runway designer, brings refinement to fashion
On Project Runway season 18, Tyler Neasloney might have been quick witted with his runway retorts, but now he lets his own fashion line speak for itself.
Tyler Neasloney might have had some of the most talked about statements on Project Runway, but the self-taught designer is looking to be known for more than his quick wit. While proud to stand behind his fashion and design choices, his ideal of classic, refinement was often overshadowed in a world of outrageous looks. After leaving the Bravo runway behind, TylerPP has big plans for his fashion career.
Looking at this season’s Project Runway contestants, Neasloney might have been a slightly controversial designer. While he was quick to throw some shade, he seemed to understand that fashion is more than just a cute outfit.
Although the judges may have thought that some of his looks were too “costume-y,” that sense of flare, desire to make a statement, and willingness to stand behind that look isn’t necessarily a bad thing in the fickle fashion world.
While Neasloney has launched his own brand, Tyler Neasloney, the bespoke and custom luggage company seems to have a timeless quality that will appeal to a particular crowd. In many ways, refinement will never go out of style.
Although fashion is the heart of his brand, Neasloney is committed to philanthropy. From his work with the Ali Forney Center to serving on the Liberty Humane Society board, he uses his position to support the LGBTQ+ community.
After being eliminated in Project Runway episode 4, Neasloney answered some questions for Culturess. From his thoughts on creating a look for judge Karlie Kloss to future plans, the future looks quite promising.
Culturess: Knowing that Karlie Kloss was your client, did you feel more pressure to create a stylish, fabulous look?
Neasloney: My background is in bespoke design, so I always feel pressure to create a stylish, fabulous look, no matter who my client is. On Project Runway, you’re constantly faced with having to invent, reinvent, and outdo yourself each challenge. It’s true Karlie is one of the top supermodels of my generation (we stan!), but I’ve found that as a designer who creates custom looks, you must be able to give each client and their needs the same attention, whether you’re designing for an A-list supermodel or your next-door neighbor.
Culturess: The idea of upcycling is a hot trend in fashion. How important is it that fashion designers be conscious of the environmental impact that fashion has?
Neasloney: It’s imperative that we, as emerging designers, take our impact on the environment into account. The great illusion that many big brands fall victim to is believing that they — in the year 2020 — have a choice whether or not to care about their waste output. The future of fashion is in small, direct-to-consumer brands. Success used to be defined by how large a brand can grow its empire and by how much it can produce. Nonstop growth is a tempting goal to have as a business. Seeing the scale at which today’s elite fashion houses operate, it’s easy to think “I want that. How do I get to that level?,” but our environmental crisis is bigger than any of us and bigger than the illusion of yesterday’s goals. The Earth is burning and buckling under the weight of 7.5 billion people, landfills are towering over our heads, and big brands continue to operate as though it’s 1950 and they have a choice to ignore the situation. The fact is designers — from the largest brands to the smallest — have no choice but to operate at a responsible scale and produce sustainably. Change is coming, whether big brands are ready for it or not.
Culturess: The upcycling is something that the aspiring fashionista/designer could embrace, what is some advice that you would give a person who is considering using upcycling?
Neasloney: Step one: Don’t produce your own textiles. There are so many beautiful fabrics that have already been made and that will sit unused and discarded as more textiles are churned out by big fashion. Buy local, find a fabric jobber — a business that sell only surplus fabric from large production runs — and produce within your means.
Culturess: As the competition starts to heat up, it seems like the claws are coming out. Did the competition pressure extend beyond the workroom?
Neasloney: Project Runway is a test not only of design and construction, but also of strategy (something I learned too late into the game). It’s natural for things to get heated in this grueling, fast-paced environment. I can speak only for myself, but I am happy to have been able to leave this competition with 15 wonderful new friends, regardless of what transpired behind the scenes.
Culturess: How did Project Runway impact you and your design aesthetic?
Neasloney: My aesthetic is the same as it was on day one of the competition — refined, timeless, and wearable. Think Kate Middleton, summer weekends in the Hamptons, or high-powered meetings in Washington, DC. I wish I had been able to show more of that this season, but I am proud of everything I was able to produce on the show (except my dress from the unconventional challenge. Yikes!). Project Runway impacted me personally by helping me learn where I want to go in the fashion world. I launched my label only 12 months ago with a focus on bespoke womenswear and luggage. The competition helped me realize a passion for creating pieces that are accessible and wearable, and gave me the spark to launch my first-ever capsule collection this month.
Culturess: Which designer do you think would put on the best fashion show?
Neasloney: Me, hands down! Not only do I create beautiful, artistic garments (heyyy episode one!) but my background is in event production in NYC. For the past three years, I’ve led the large-scale fundraising events for the Ali Forney Center — a nonprofit serving and housing homeless LGBTQ youths — so if there’s anything I know how to do, it’s how to run a tight, theatrical, and entertaining event. Translating that background into an incredible fashion show is the next step. Stay tuned.
Culturess: What is next for you and/or your brand?
Neasloney: I just launched my first-ever capsule collection online. These are pieces that are wearable, accessible, timeless, and classically chic. I used a palette of rich cobalt, deep navy blue, soft ivory, and crisp white to create a collection that speaks to summers in Martha’s Vineyard, weekends in the Hamptons, and the classic sensibility of the British Royal Family. The collection was also a nod to the direction I took aesthetically in the upcycling challenge (a look which I still fully stand behind, for the record). Above all, I’m grateful for this experience and excited to spin it into the career I never knew I was always working toward.
Tyler Neasloney namesake brand offers bespoke, ready to wear and luggage.
Project Runway season 18 airs on Bravo, Thursday nights at 9 p.m. ET.
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