Tory Burch, the designer who dressed Bruna Marquezine at the Met Gala: ‘When I looked for financing for the brand, there were only men at the table’ | Fashion

In 2004, Tory Burch launched her eponymous fashion brand, and for two decades, the designer has strived to redefine American luxury. In celebration of the brand’s twentieth anniversary, Marie Claire France had the opportunity to talk to the New York designer and, here, we tell you more about the designer who dressed Bruna Marquezine for the Met Gala.

Tory Burch, an accomplished and committed designer

The American designer celebrates 20 years of her brand. More than ever, she is working on her clothes with their durability in mind. And she also promotes female entrepreneurship through the foundation that bears her name.

Marie Claire France: This season, you wanted a collection that “freed the spirit”, what were the inspirations?

Tory Burch: In this chaotic world, I wanted to rethink the idea of ​​”effortless” and developed a new approach. Choose elastic materials to free up movement, rethink the cut, seek inspiration from men’s wardrobe, create volume without adding weight and, above all, imagine long-lasting pieces that everyone can combine with their wardrobe.

MCF: Your brand is 20 years old, how do you approach this anniversary?

ALSO: In my collections, I finally allow myself to offer a more personal vision. I’m opening a new chapter and it’s exciting! This desire to show that the brand is different from what is expected guided me to reimagine our iconic pieces by anchoring them in today’s times.

I remain attentive to innovations, whether in the choice of fabrics such as Tencel organza for my next collection, in marketing, in the environmental dimension, in artificial intelligence, but also in young creators, such as in a reuse program with students from the Parsons School of Design [escolha de design em Nova York] to whom we entrust our collection.

MCF: Why did you decide to no longer hold the roles of CEO and creative director?

ALSO: I was CEO for 14 years, I am proud of the work done and the decisions made. In 2004, when I launched the e-commerce site, no one believed it, but that didn’t stop me from following my instinct.

But having to manage everything sometimes means not having enough time to do things correctly. Passing the CEO baton to my husband (Pierre-Yves Roussel, former CEO of LVMH Fashion Group) — an expert in this field — changed everything. Today, all my time is dedicated to the creative dimension.

MCF: In 2009, you launched the Tory Burch Foundation, dedicated to female entrepreneurship…

ALSO: This foundation was part of the business plan. When I looked for funding to launch my brand, there were only men around the table, and I realize I was lucky because women face a lot of difficulties when starting a company: access to funding, pay gaps, networking… The Tory Burch Foundation was founded in 2009.

Today, $90 million has helped fund women-led projects, and through our partnerships, like the one with Bank of America, five thousand six hundred women entrepreneurs have obtained $100 million in low-cost loans.

Every year, we select fifty in different areas – fashion, gastronomy, cinema… We mentor these women for a year and help them create networks of contacts.

MCF: There’s a lot of talk about the “Parisian”, is there an equivalent in New York?

ALSO: It’s an eclectic city, so the silhouettes are different! And the New Yorker has many facets, from her way of appropriating sportswear to her relaxed style and her desire to dress to go out… I have a special connection with this city because I live here and present my collections during the Week of Fashion.

But I’m also inspired by France, and with my French husband we often cross the Atlantic. Who knows, maybe one day we will parade in Paris?