Tory Story

Pint-sized fashion powerhouse TORY BURCH shot onto the scene eight years ago in a flurry of geometric prints and logoed ballet flats. And thanks to her razor-sharp vision, a growing network of shops and accessible prices, she’s here to stay. mariel rittenhouse goodson pulls up a chair in Burch’s glossy, orange-lacquered office

“WHEN WE LAUNCHED, my five-year plan was to open three stores,” says Tory Burch, the impossibly chic Manhattan designer known for her ultra-tailored, wildly colourful collection of American sportswear and accessories. “I was thinking we’d be under the radar, so we debuted downtown on Elizabeth Street. After that I thought we’d maybe move into a few more stores. I never imagined we’d be where we are today.”

“Where we are” is an international network of 60 free-standing boutiques, 500 department and speciality stores, Oprah endorsements, CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) awards, Forbes lists and bevies of Hollywood beauties clamouring to wear her gear. But like most success stories, Burch paid her dues. She cut her teeth at Zoran, the New York-based king of minimalism, before honing her craft with household names such as Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang and Narciso Rodriguez. She then spent two years working out of her apartment to perfect her vision and lay the groundwork for what has become a worldwide phenomenon.

While many young acolytes dream of breaking free from the master’s atelier and designing on their own, very few enjoy the kind of overnight acclaim that skyrocketed Burch to full-fledged fashion dynamo. Burch’s secret was that she made thoughtful, well-constructed garments affordable – not with any icky discount or strip mall connotations, but by infusing her collection with an intensely personal viewpoint that’s usually manifest only in brands of a higher order. She pays attention to every detail, from fabric and cut to embroidery and embellishment, much in the same way a couturier might, only with much tighter purse strings.

“Growing up in my career, I saw how expensive fashion was becoming,” muses Burch. “For me personally, I didn’t want to spend a fortune all the time. I wanted to have options and find great pieces that were timeless and classic, but also interesting. I spent a lot of time thinking about what was missing in the market. And what was missing wasn’t just a specific price point, but the quality and design that you are able to achieve at that price point.”

Burch’s garments retail in the comfortable US$150-$1,000 range, although she does have a few pieces that push the limit, primarily in her swanky new Madison Avenue boutique in Manhattan, where she’s experimenting with exclusives and bespoke jewellery. “I love finding one-of-a-kind things because that means no one else has it,” says Burch. “While we always want to remain true to our price point, we also want to be able to offer those special pieces, pieces where our client might say, ‘I’ll definitely spend a little more on something this unique.’ ”

The Madison Avenue flagship, the latest jewel in the Tory Burch crown, is a stunning triple-decked space inhabiting a 19th-century townhouse. The boutique was designed by Daniel Romualdez, who created the look for her other 60 stores, 16 new outlets she has in the works – and her apartment.

What inspired the flagship’s concept? “We asked ourselves, ‘What would this townhouse have looked like in the 1840s when it was built? Where would the staircase have been?’ So we recreated that in our heads and then we brought in different elements of inspiration, whether it was from my own apartment or from interior designer Madeleine Castaing. There’s even a little bit of Billy Baldwin. We made it more eclectic that way.” The space is warm, inviting and wonderfully intimate, right down to the soundscapes piped in through the boutique’s speakers that Burch had a hand in dreaming up – an example of the little touches that make customers feel like they know her.

In addition to testing the waters with one-off jewels in the Madison Avenue flagship, Burch has expanded her empire to include handbags, ready-to-wear baubles, swimwear, eyewear, a to-be-released fragrance backed by Estée Lauder, a children’s collection and, of course, shoes. Whether you’re in New York or Hong Kong, you can’t toss a pebble without hitting a pair of cross emblazoned Reva ballet flats, which were named after Burch’s mother. “She laughs because she says she’s now known as a shoe. That’s her legacy, but she’s more than that, of course. It’s funny, every time we put her name on something, it becomes a best-seller. Now we use her name sparingly and carefully.”

Burch’s do-it-all attitude inspired her to establish the Tory Burch Foundation, which “empowers women entrepreneurs through microfinance,” she explains. “I love meeting with women, giving them advice and telling them about all the mistakes I made and how not to fall into those traps.” Mentorship is one facet of the programme, but the foundation also provides up-and-comers with grants to help stay afloat. “I think there are so many more obstacles for women. Even just getting a loan can be harder, and the women we’re looking at are often single mothers who are taking care of their families. But at the same time, they’re also investing back into their community.” Not unlike Burch herself.

While she heads a burgeoning retail dynasty, Burch, 45, is far more than a brand and a bold-faced name; she’s also a divorced mother of three young sons (and she has three stepdaughters from an earlier marriage). “My boys are my first priority,” she asserts. “They know that. They like that I work, but I often say, ‘OK guys, I’ll be a stay-at-home mom. What do you think?’ I take them to school every morning and I’m home by 6 or 6.30. I’m theirs.

“It’s pretty intense during the day,” she adds. “But I think that if I wasn’t able to be a great mom, I wouldn’t be a great business person or designer.” Maintaining balance may be a daily battle, yet somehow, perched in her impeccably designed office wearing her impeccably tailored duds, Burch makes it look so effortless. But then, that’s part of her allure.