40 tgmlink.com | February 2009

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Tracy Reese’s clothes tell a story. They remind you of the time you crept into

your mother’s room, rummaged through her trunk full of enchanting threads

and covered yourself in pearls and all things lace. As you awkwardly walked

to the mirror in those 4-inch heels to rejoice in your fashion achievement, a

warm smile spread across your face.

Designer, Tracy Reese, brings you back to that priceless moment when time

stood still and you felt nothing less than fabulous.

Women around the world flock to the Detroit native for her ultra feminine

creations. Reese has spent over ten years designing for the woman who simply

loves being a girl. “The Tracy Reese woman is an ageless and modern woman,”

she said. “I design for global women who are intelligent, nostalgic, worldly,

charming and have an appreciation for luxury.”

Reese’s unwavering attention to detail is evident in every stitch. At the

Spring 2009 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, models sauntered down the

runway draped in luxurious silk, crepe, linen, chiffon and lace. Skirts were

embellished with flower cut-outs, leaves cascaded down a cropped leather jacket

and printed floral motifs adorned pleated skirts. Hair was lightly swept back off

the face baring pouty lips, luminous eyes and lavish chandelier earrings. Her

enchanting spring collection represented the evolution of this lively season.

culture designer profile: Tracy Reese Architect of the Infinite Spring

40 tgmlink.com | February 2009

The Green Magazine | 41

by naimah jabali-nash

Reese’s color selection is interpreted in three

vignettes. The collection begins with a soft palette

of eggshell whites, powder blues, nude pinks and

accents of fresh ginger that set the stage for spring’s

magical return. This transition of serene hues is

followed by deeply saturated colors that represent

the arrival of the new season. Bold graphic prints

reflect the beauty of spring on tiered dresses, belted

blouses and tulip skirts.

“The Tracy Reese Spring 2009 collection is

a brilliant progression of nature and form with

delicate, yet sophisticated, pieces that emanate

modern romance and strong femininity,” Reese

said of her collection. “Relaxed silhouettes shift

into layered and then architectural shapes,

telling the story of a garden fantasy and the

evolution of spring.”

Reese’s vintage chic aesthetic and her ability to

flatter women of various body types captivate her

admirers. Reminiscent of designers Coco Chanel

and Ann Taylor, Reese effortlessly accentuates

a woman’s figure with a practicality that makes

her clothes wearable. Grammy award-winning

songstress Alicia Keys, actresses Sanaa Lathan and

Cameron Diaz, and former supermodel Veronica

Webb all swoon over Reese’s flirty designs. Webb

told reporters that Reese brings a very sophisticated

and easy elegance to a woman’s wardrobe. “Tracy

Reese is for someone who wants to feel smart and

comfortable, but who also wants to look incredibly

polished,” she said.

Before the glitz, glam and mayhem that is

fashion week, Reese’s career started at home.

Her mother, Pat, would challenge Tracy and other

women in the family to speed sewing competitions.

The one who finished their outfit first was deemed

the winner—loser paid for the fabric. Needless to

say, Reese rarely did the latter. Although she took

a few fashion design courses while attending Cass

Technical High School, her true aspiration was to

become an architect or an interior designer. Still

one of Reese’s teachers thought otherwise and

advised her to participate in the Parsons School

of Design’s summer program in New York.

Afterwards, Reese’s dreams of being an architect

quickly faded. She had found her niche—fashion.

She graduated from Parsons in 1984 and immediately

secured a design assistant position with French designer

Martine Sitbon. A few years later Reese started her own

line with financial support from her father Claud. The

venture proved to be unsuccessful and her line folded

in 1989. She rebuilt her career over the next nine years

at Perry Ellis, Gordon Henderson and as head designer

at Magaschoni. In 1998, Reese relaunched her line,

Tracy Reese, and added plenty by Tracy Reese the same

year. “Plenty developed as the more bohemian younger

sister to Tracy Reese. It is accessible designer fashion.

It’s ethnic, youthful, trend driven, vacation wear that

allows women to update their wardrobe seasonally,”

she explained. Reese created plenty Home Collection in

2006 as an extension of the brand. “I feel like the same

woman who wants to wear plenty wants that whimsical

feeling to permeate throughout all aspects of her life.”

This spring Reese cultivates a new vision by introducing

the Tracy Reese Black Label.

Reese’s inspirations stem from the world around

her. However, music is critical to her creative

process. “I am constantly listening to music. Some

artists that inspire me are Alicia Keys and Feist,”

she said. Reese continues to keep her vision clear.

Her clothes emit a demure sexiness that easily

transitions the fashion forward woman from an

after work cocktail to a black tie affair. In a world

where you’re only as good as your last collection,

Reese manages to stay relevant. “I think I have

been lucky to become a mainstay in the fashion

industry because I continue to develop a strong

philosophy by staying true to my specific point of

view,” she said.

Reese’s commitment to truth is not limited

to the catwalk. She recently joined more than 25

designers including Alexander Wang, Narciso

Rodriguez and Diane Von Furstenberg in Runway

to Change. It is a coalition of designers who

have created limited-edition items that display

Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama’s

message of change. “The opportunity to design an

item for the campaign and partner with VOGUE

came up and I’m passionate about this candidate.

I knew I needed to be participating and not just

watching and hoping for the best,” she said.

Tracy Reese makes women salivate over her designs

as if they were subjects in a Pavlovian study. Her

pieces are not fashion staples, but essentials. As Reese

prepares to unveil her Fall 2009 collection it may be

best to keep your eye to the future. Decades from now

your daughter will be donning this 2009 vintage in

front of the mirror.