Tory Burch
The Label
In just three short years TRB by Tory Burch—known simply as Tory Burch as of 2006—has gone from a tiny operation out of an Upper East Side apartment to a wildly successful contemporary line, which boasts six freestanding boutiques and a booming wholesale business. With the help of now-ex-husband Chris Burch, a shrewd New York venture capitalist who remains co-chairman of the company, not to mention Oprah, who gave her good-as-gold on-air endorsement in April 2005, Burch has turned what easily could have been dismissed as a socialite vanity project into a viable fashion label. The collection, based on Burch’s own easy-chic style—bold prints, caftans, sequined cardigans, and a few more fashion-y evening items—now includes children’s swimwear, jewelry, handbags, and shoes.
The Look
Preppy-bohemian luxe in a bold color palette.
The Designer
Many have tried, but unlike Burch, few have successfully made the leap from the social circuit to legitimate fashion fixture. Burch, a Pennsylvania native, has no formal design training but has done just as well with her enviable personal style and ironclad work ethic. She’s used her extensive fashion connections, made through PR stints at Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang, and Loewe, to make her distinct preppy-boho look a bona fide, accessible fashion brand, all while raising three sons and three stepdaughters.
