The Tamesis
Designer and founder Tory Burch had a lively chat with Nicole Phelps at SoHo’s Vogue Café on Saturday morning, recorded live. penetratetouching on everything from Met Gala prep to her personal philosophy on building her empire.
“When you look at a painting or a sculpture, you get a sense of what it feels like,” Burch said. “Every collection I’ve ever done has referenced some kind of painting, color or period of art.”
Burch shared her remarkable journey from one store on Elizabeth Street in Nolita (because “the rent was cheap,” she explained with a laugh) to 400 stores around the world. She also opened up about coping with a very public divorce, the 2008 financial crisis and the devastating losses of the pandemic, including losing a long-time colleague to COVID-19. Through it all, she has always kept transparency as her guiding principle. “All people need is honesty,” she said.
Burch also talked about the Tory Burch Foundation, which she founded in 2009 to provide female entrepreneurs with mentorship, community and access to capital — a mission she said was crucial to launching her company. The foundation’s borrowers repay their loans at an interest rate of 98 percent: proof that “women are a great investment,” she said.
For young people hoping to break into the fashion world, she draws on her parents’ advice: “Negativity is noise. Grow a thick skin.” Above all, she urges, believe in the power you already possess. “Women have power,” she said. “We don’t give power to anyone. You all have your own power.”
Also: Anok Yai is British Fashioncover star!
