J'Amy Tarr fall collection of outerwear Designer's fall collection adds a touch of leather

Mill Valley fashion designer J'Amy Tarr wears her moto jacket at a Curve boutique trunk show, above. Mill Valley fashion designer J'Amy Tarr wears her moto jacket at a Curve boutique trunk show, above. Photo: Courtesy J'Amy Tarr Photo: Courtesy J'Amy Tarr Image 1 of / 7 Caption Close J'Amy Tarr fall collection of outerwear 1 / 7 Back to Gallery

Fashion and textile designer J'Amy Tarr was born and raised in Mill Valley, but could not be called a local designer until recently.

"I have spent time in New York, spent time abroad and also spent time in Seattle, but I have a very San Francisco point of view," says Tarr, who returned to the region she loves a year ago. "And I'm definitely embracing it in this new collection."

Working out of her design studio-showroom in Mill Valley, the designer, 40, returned to her roots. She offers a modern, sophisticated fall collection of locally made outerwear ($400 to $650) that reflects the natural beauty of Northern California, from driftwood and sand to rocks and redwoods.

Tarr, who earned master's degrees in fashion and applied textile design from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, learned about the business side of fashion when she worked in merchandising for Levi Strauss. She then had an internship at Michael Kors.

Her designs are a great fit for Bay Area women who want stylish clothes with a bit of an edge. "Leather is part of my DNA," says Tarr. "I did grow up going to San Francisco street fairs."

She says her Bay Area customers are sophisticated women ages 30 to 60 who want quality and strong design that isn't overdone with belts, extra pockets or studs. She offers flexible pieces that can go edgier or more refined depending on how they're styled.

Key pieces include her moto jacket made from mid-weight fine Japanese wool and available in fall-friendly colors like sand, light heather gray, dark gray and always-chic black.

"It feels more like a sweater," says Tarr. "It has a flattering cut, and it works for both day and night."

Her signature tux jacket with removable collar offers two looks in one. Available in charcoal with a silver collar and in black with a black collar, the cotton blend crepe jacket takes on a different look with the luxe Italian lambskin collar. For cold, foggy nights, Tarr's zip-front coat offers warmth with a touch of leather on the sleeves and comes in dark moss green, black or charcoal, with strong lines that make the heavyweight Japanese wool coat figure flattering. Her evening moto jacket made from moire cotton blend in platinum, steel gray or black offers a bit of shine. The jacket works over a ball gwn or your favorite tank and jeans with stilettos.

Tarr wants her fashions to be the go-to favorite you reach for.

"I believe you can do luxury in a local way," she says. "All the manufacturing is done within 100 miles - the pattern-making, grading, markers, cutting, sewing, finishing and alterations. This is a collection made with strong silhouettes, very wearable and flattering with an edge."