Designer Q&A: Tory Burch
Put your peeptoes down and listen to this! I Heart Heels has an exclusive with designer Tory Burch – squeal! We heart Tory soooo much, we can’t wait to hit the beach this summer just so we can wear one of her coveted tunics (see which ones she recommends below!). Since the launch of her line in 2004, Tory has skyrocketed in popularity (especially with the celeb crowd!), and each season just gets better and better (here’s our sneak peek at F/W 2010, by the way). It took a few weeks to get the scoop with Tory’s uber-busy schedule, but once we finally did, we just had to share asap – read on!
IHH: Your fashion obsessions of the moment are…
TB: I really love the idea of borrowing from the boys right now…a crisp button-down shirt in a men’s wear pattern or print, boyfriend jeans, blazers redone in a knit. The play of feminine and masculine looks modern and incredibly chic.
IHH: I am in LOVE with your River Fisherman sandal. What would you pair these with this season?
TB: I think it’s the perfect go-to shoe because it’s versatile—it elongates the leg if you’re wearing a skirt, but it adds height if you wear pants or jeans. I like wearing them with a long, straight leg pant, like our Maureen Pant. It creates a classic, sexy, 70s sportswear look.
IHH: How would you describe your everyday style?
TB: My roots are in classic American sportswear, but with an eclectic, slightly tomboy edge.
IHH: What’s the essence of your spring/summer 2010 collection, and the most versatile piece in it?
TB: I was inspired by William Eggleston’s beautiful images of the American landscape, of making ordinary things look extraordinary. I wanted to do classic American sportswear that reflects color, print and an eclectic way of putting it all together.
IHH: Your collections always feature lots of prints. Do you think anyone can wear a print?
TB: Prints instantly add interest to a look. There are so many ways to add a little print into your wardrobe. You can go for a bold, head-to-toe look that I love, or you can go for something more subtle, like a printed scarf or a blouse that you layer under a cardigan or a dress. Prints are a universal, and something that even someone who loves a minimal look could embrace—perhaps through a tonal print as opposed to a vibrant, graphic one.
IHH: I’m searching for a tunic for the beach this summer. Are there a couple you can recommend?
TB: Our Spring Deidre Tunic with its great, subtle sequined accents, makes a great beach cover-up that can translate seamlessly beyond the beach, too. For summer, I love the bold embroidered detail of our Venice Caftan—it’s a longer, more dressed-up version of the caftan.
IHH: Your collections always feature lots of prints. Do you think anyone can wear a print?
TB: Prints instantly add interest to a look. There are so many ways to add a little print into your wardrobe. You can go for a bold, head-to-toe look that I love, or you can go for something more subtle, like a printed scarf or a blouse that you layer under a cardigan or a dress. Prints are a universal, and something that even someone who loves a minimal look could embrace—perhaps through a tonal print as opposed to a vibrant, graphic one.
IHH: I’m searching for a tunic for the beach this summer. Are there a couple you can recommend?
TB: Our Spring Deidre Tunic with its great, subtle sequined accents, makes a great beach cover-up that can translate seamlessly beyond the beach, too. For summer, I love the bold embroidered detail of our Venice Caftan—it’s a longer, more dressed-up version of the caftan.
IHH: Tell me about Tory Burch for kids and what it was like working with Project Runway.
TB: Our children’s line is something we all love working on, and we’re expanding the collection. We took looks from the adult collection that we thought were most appropriate for very, very young ladies and tweaked the designs. For instance, we translated the Scribble print from our Fall 2010 women’s denim collection into charming leggings for children.
Working on Project Runway was exciting! I could completely appreciate the challenges of designing for children. Technically, it’s vastly different from designing for women. On top of that, these designers have the added pressure of working with a time limit, a strict budget and a very specific assignment.
IHH: Your collections always inspire me to get away to a tropical island! What is your favorite summer vacation spot?
TB: I love traveling to different places and exploring new cultures. As long as I have my boys with me, I’m happy. Our most recent family trip was to Bali, which was extraordinarily beautiful.
IHH: Which celebrities have you dressed most recently? Who would you like to see wearing your designs?
TB: Lindsey Vonn recently wore our dresses to events. She is such an amazing athlete and inspiration. I would love to dress Cate Blanchett or Natalie Portman. Both of them have such beautiful, innate senses of style.
IHH: Is there anything new launching within your brand this year – or new announcements?
IHH: Is there anything new launching within your brand this year – or new announcements?
TB: We have some exciting new and expanded categories in the collection. We’re growing accessories and denim, and we just debuted our optical line. As I mentioned, we have expanded our children’s collection.
As a company, we are thinking more globally now and have recently opened two stores in Asia, in Japan and the Philippines, and have a few more slated to open soon. We’re also expanding in Europe, starting with Rome and London.
As a company, we are thinking more globally now and have recently opened two stores in Asia, in Japan and the Philippines, and have a few more slated to open soon. We’re also expanding in Europe, starting with Rome and London.
[Photo Courtesy Tory Burch]
