Tyler McGillivary's 'Unnatural' Inspirations

June 02, 2022

Inspiration is not a one-to-one process. From inception to fruition, the process of bringing an idea to life is a grueling task that demands time, dedication, and, usually, a bit of magic. It is what separates the artist from the hobbyist; the believer from the disciple.

In Tyler McGillivary’s SS22 collection, ‘Unnatural’–inspiration is a natural system itself. Where sources of inspiration often become complicated through process, McGillivary’s impetus is present in her final product.

“Unnatural” bridges the divide between designer and wearer, playing on the irony of nature frozen in time in each piece. McGillivary pieces carry with them a sense of whimsy, surrealism, and the very inspiration which sparked McGillivary to create them.

Text by Kenna McCafferty
Images provided by Tyler McGillivary

Each wearer brings to life the magic of the creation process, giving life to McGillivary’s ideas and dreams beyond her designs.

Check out an office exclusive look at the designer's personal mood board, and the collections' roots, references, and sources of psychadelic inspiration.

Tyler McGillivary- Our Barry Dress in laser-cut flowers was largely inspired by the 1935 animation “Flowers for Madame” which features a flower competition and cartoonish, brightly colored flowers dancing across the screen.

TM- Our laser-cut for the Trixie Dress was inspired almost single-handedly by this scene in "Alice for Wonderland" with tons of white cartoon flowers packed together to form a curtain.

TM- Our Rori Tank was inspired by this Andy Goldsworthy sculpture of an intricately pieced-together spiral made from ice. It features a wire wrap-around piece that acts as a necklace.

TM- Our Reema Blouse was inspired by this Andy Goldsworthy sculpture of a fern meandering through the soil. I love the movement and the unnaturally natural components of all of Goldsworthy’s sculptures.

TM- Our Dani Dress plays with surrealism and scale. We took a butterfly wing and magnified it to fit the shape of a dress, laser cutting the edges to make it look as if you are a human butterfly.

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For years, she stood still, watching life rush past her, a quiet observer behind the glass. Now, the glass is broken, and she steps out into the unknown. She walks through the city, caught between two worlds—part of it, yet apart from it.

Her journey is quiet but bold, searching for something she’s never understood, something just out of reach. On church steps and under glowing city lights, she questions everything: the rules, the past, and where she truly belongs. Each step feels both freeing and uncertain.

A curious soul in a borrowed life, she keeps moving forward, leaving behind only whispers of her escape, like a fleeting shadow in the night.