I am sitting in the lobby of the W Chicago when a fashion icon casually walks up to me: It’s Rebecca Taylor, in the flesh. She’s just come from a manicure at Bliss Spa (she’s chosen a lovely shade of red) and has only 30 minutes before she’s off to meet 20 of Nordstrom Oakbrook Center’s most loyal customers for an unforgettable personal styling session. With recent store openings in both the Meatpacking District in New York and Harajuku, Taylor’s schedule is tense. Her stop in the Windy City is brief (she’s flying out at 4 am!) but lucky for us, she was gracious enough to meet with Chicago Collection and give us the scoop on all things style-worthy. Here’s what she had to say!

Chicago Collection: This year marks your company’s 15^th anniversary in the business—congratulations! What have been some of your career highlights?

Rebecca Taylor: The Meatpacking [opening] in New York…that was a big highlight. It was really successful. Rebecca Taylor [is] brushing up its edges. [That’s] where we’re going.

CC: You have said in previous interviews that you took you awhile to discover who the Rebecca Taylor girl is. Having brushed up your edges, who is she, in your own words?

RT: She’s really feminine. She’s not afraid to express femininity—she embraces the term. She’s confident, she’s ageless…[we have] customers who are 15 to 60 [years old.]

CC: Where do you get the inspiration for your designs?

RT: I’m constantly thinking, jotting stuff down, looking at books…[I’m always] searching [for] each season.

CC: Any particular designers that are inspiring to you?

RT: Karl Lagerfeld. I love him. Chanel—I love what he did with Chanel. Prada, Marni, everything. I love fashion!

CC: You recently did collaborations with Wendy Mink, Chan Luu, Porselli and Citizens for Humanity…why did you choose to pair up with those brands?

RT: [They’re] very personal [brands] to me, so I thought it would be appropriate to show them to our customers. [I’m always in] Citizens for Humanity. They’re fit for a woman, not a little girl.  

CC: With the collection that’s in stores right now, what are some of your favorite trends for spring?

RT: Skirts are really making a resurgence. I think it’s been such a pantsworld for so long—maxi skirts, midi skirts…I’ll wear one with gray tights and boots, a strappy heel or a distressed shirt.

CC: And for fall?

RT: Outwear! In Chicago and New York, that’s very important!

CC: You opened your Harajuku store in the wake of the natural disasters in Japan—why was moving forward with that opening so important to you as a company?

RT: Our partners in Japan, it was more so them. We look to them. [We said] you guys are there, what do you want to do? Economically things are very tough there [right now] and we need to support them and facilitate that.

CC: What’s next for Rebecca Taylor?

RT: [We’re] expanding into the accessories category. We’re making shoes, [we’ve been] slow and steady with that. I really believe in the retail model.

(Side note: She isn’t kidding. Taylor has plans to open some 8 new stores and Chicago is on her list of locales. Squeals of delight entirely appropriate!)

CC: With so much going on, why is it important to you to do appearances like this one at Nordstrom?

RT: You have to be aware of who your customer is. You can’t just sit on your golden throne—you’ve got to get out there and meet your loyal customers. It’s just one big exchange of love!

CC: What advice do you have for new designers out there looking to follow in your footsteps?

RT: Not to be discouraged. It’s really tough, but it’s not impossible. It’s not an overnight thing. You can have a very bad season and then a very good season. It’s sort of like Groundhog Day, you get to try over and over again!

CC: What’s your favorite part of your job?

RT: The people I work with. Everybody at my office—we get on really well. There’s a lot of laughs, and that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? [Also] shopping and calling it work!