I got a kick out of reading in today’s WWD that ubiquitous Manhattan social fixture, Tory Burch, is soon to launch “her own clothing line in New York next month”. Married to super wealthy, Christopher Burch, she has reportedly “joined forces with the team of investors behind the Faena Hotel & Universe in Buenos Aires”.
All I can say is – notwithstanding her obvious monetary assets, which enable her to buy whatever she wants (which happens to be designer couture) and make her an outstanding customer, Ms. Burch does not exactly exude great style, creativity, or great chic in my opinion. When she worked as a fashion assistant at Harper’s Bazaar (at the time I was a fashion editor), she did not stand out in terms of her own look, or fashion persona.
And even today, years later, though she dresses nicely, and spends a fortune on her wardrobe (which has gone a long way in insuring that her picture is constantly in the society pages of W, WWD Vogue, and Style.com, not to mention society ‘mags’ like Town and Country) I would hardly call her a modicum of style. Maybe an a- list name, good looks, standing in society, and influential friends are all you need these days – I certainly can’t identify other more pertinent assets that might qualify her as a successful designer.
-posted by Marilyn Kirschner
