Tory Burch, the iconic designer known for color and prints, breezed through town last month to meet her throngs of loyal customers at her Nordstrom Michigan Avenue pop-up shop and to celebrate the launch of her new fragrance, Just Like Heaven.
“It’s so flattering to see people wearing our clothes, but also if we can help women feel confident about themselves, that is something that really inspires me,” said Burch, wearing a striped dress from her spring collection, inspired by legendary interior designer David Hicks.
We sat down with the fashion mogul, who chatted about everything from her spring collection to her Tory Burch Foundation, created to support the empowerment of women entrepreneurs, to a few of her favorite things. What follows has been edited for length and clarity.
Q: Tell me about spring. What do you love about the spring collection?
A: David Hicks was such an inspiration. And being able to have access to his archives, with his son opening them up and giving us his scrapbooks, was really interesting. We wanted to reference him not in a literal way but use him as a starting point and imagine what it could be today. He’s so relevant today — his irreverence and use of color and his fearlessness. That’s one thing I love: fearlessness.
Q: Whom have you been most inspired by in life?
A: Definitely, my mother — she’s my biggest inspiration. There are so many people. Women. I started our company to start a foundation, but it’s about women globally. Women are inspiring. It’s all women — not just one kind of woman. It’s such an important time right now to stand up. People that actually have a voice and stand up and speak up. Courage. It’s an interesting time, and I think that you have to acknowledge what’s happening.
Q: Favorite virtue?
A: Ambition. There is a harmful double standard that exists around ambition, which is often celebrated in a man and seen as distasteful in a woman. That needs to change. Our foundation just launched its second annual global initiative encouraging women to embrace ambition.
Q: Favorite quality in people?
A: Humor 100 percent.
Q: Do you have any favorite comedians?
A: There are so many, but I have a favorite movie, “There’s Something About Mary.” That was such a fantastic movie. Humor is key. It’s so important.
Q: What are you listening to right now?
More Top Picks 2
A: A woman named Jessie Reyez, Rihanna, Tupac. And there’s this new band, Public Access TV — they’re so good. I found them from my children.
Q: Favorite place to travel?
A: Antigua. It is the most peaceful place in the world.
Q: Favorite book you have ever read?
A: Jung Chang’s “Wild Swans,” about three generations of women in China: beautifully written, heartbreaking but hopeful.
Q: Favorite art museum?
A: There are many, but The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia is a sentimental favorite. I visited many times when I was growing up and love going back to this day.
Q: What’s one of your favorite cities?
A: There are cities that I love, and Chicago is one of them. It’s very vibrant between the architecture, the art museums, the lake, the food, there’s so much. To me, it’s a very livable city.
Q: Favorite hobby?
A: As long as I can remember, I have loved tennis. My mother taught my brothers and me how to play.
Kristin Larson is a freelance writer.
