Fine art wardrobe dreams made manifest at Tory Burch

By

Gabriella Lacombe

Published
Feb 11, 2019

For those crying out for a high-fashion wardrobe fit for the chicest of art gallery premieres, Tory Burch has answered with a runway show that combines the eccentricity of the fine art world with the elegant finish for which her label has become famous. 

Inspired by Black Mountain College, the bygone experimental institute known for fostering some of North America’s most seminal modern artists, the label’s Fall/Winter 2019 collection brought fluidity and open-minded imagination to the standard sophistication of Tory Burch’s preppy and polished womenswear aesthetic. 

This meant a selection of looks that spoke to one's inner artiste: a clean-cut shearling coat paired with a shin-sweeping skirt with a metallic orange trim; floral dresses with fluttering cuffs; a graphic striped matching set suit that combined masculine tailoring with a bold and billowing neck ruffle. 

Chunky metallic heels, patchwork and monochrome boots and tightly-laced platform sneakers met ornate cut-glass jewelry and deconstructed bags to create a Tory Burch woman full of energy, curiosity and poise.

As models wound their way through the expansive minimalist setting to the crooning and hollering voice of Elvis, the eyes of audience members like Zoe Saldana, Mindy Kaling and Naomi Watts actively glowed. Tory Burch herself was met with enthusiastic applause when she appeared at the show’s finale, and the warmth in the room seemed to signal the label's first strong steps into the new year. 

In the months prior to its Fall/Winter show, Tory Burch has taken several steps that suggest a powerful global expansion strategy, including a steady strengthening of its senior leadership team. In late 2018, Tory Burch announced her plans to step down from her position as CEO of her eponymous brand this year, replaced in the role by her husband and former LVMH executive Pierre-Yves Roussel while she continues to serve as executive chairman and chief creative officer. 

As its executive team received a refresh, Tory Burch’s list of store locations got its own update. In December of 2018, the label opened its newest flagship in Ginza, Tokyo, the first large-scale project overseen by Ping Hsien Ong. Topping off the month, the New York-based label bought back its stake from Tresalia Capital, a private family investment company based in Mexico City.

Currently, Tory Burch operates stores in London, Paris, Milan, Rome, Munich, Istanbul and Tokyo, and has indicated plans to intensify its presence in the Middle East.