A Busy Week
Tory Burch opens New York flagship store and plans first runway show
NEW YORK — It's a big week for Tory Burch. The designer, who in just seven years has built a worldwide fashion juggernaut, is holding her first runway show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tuesday. And she is putting finishing touches on a new five-story flagship store on Manhattan's Upper East Side, which she showed off to a select group of reporters Monday.
The designer and her longtime architect, Daniel Romaldez, transformed a stripped-down 19th century townhouse at 797 Madison Avenue into a warm, homey place in eight months. "It's a miracle," Romaldez said, with a laugh.
Parts of the flagship store, which showcases Burch's ready-to-wear collection, handbags, shoes, jewelry and small leather goods, has familiar orange lacquer walls, plum curtains and gold fixtures that are common to all Burch boutiques.
But the new store has homey touches like a marble fireplace on the second floor (modeled after one in Burch's living room), a third-floor shoe salon with leopard-print carpet and an outdoor terrace. The fifth floor VIP salon, accessible by a private elevator, is inspired by renown French interior designer Madeleine Castaing. It is decorated in shades of turquoise, purple and sea blue.
"Tori is all about evolving," says Romanldez, who first met Burch when he was hired to decorate her home 15 years ago. "She never wants to do the same thing."
The duo are collaborating on Burch's 60th store, which will open in Shanghai next year. Burch has two other smaller stores in New York.
A few special items, like classic sunglasses, exotic handbags and the black sequined cocktail dress modeled after the one Catherine Zeta-Jones wore in 2006 (the first time that Tory Burch oufitted a celebrity for an awards event) will be available exclusively at the store.
The designer admitted she is a "little nervous" about her first full-fledged runway show. In the past, she has highlighted her new collections in a presentation, where models remain static as buyers and the fashion press mill about the room.
"This is a lot more work," she said about preparations for a runway show. "I'm trying to figure that out."
Her spring/summer 2012 collection is inspired by the French seaside resort of Deauville in the 1920s and will feature the theme song from the classic 1966 movie, A Man and a Woman.
Burch will travel to Houston for a Nov. 3 personal appearance at Neiman Marcus. She also has a free-standing Tory Burch store in The Galleria.