The celeb-packed Tory Burch fall 2024 runway show at Astor Hall in the New York Public Library Monday night was worlds away from the debut TRB by Tory Burch collection launched in February 2004 with the help of friends and family at a little store in NoLIta.
Isn’t that sublime?
In 20 years, Burch has matured into an American design force inching closer to the level of creativity and polish of much older European heritage brands. She’s built a business with close to $2 billion in revenues, proving fashion dreams can come true (with access to capital being a big help).
“It’s one of my favorite words and I don’t think people use it that much,” Burch said of her vision to make the everyday sublime, as seen in the collection’s wonderfully wacky, ruched and ruffled nylon minidresses made out of shower caps of all things, as well as on a jacquard top and skirt with the repeating word “sublime” in script.
In this milestone year, Burch said in a recent interview about her 20th anniversary that she really doesn’t want to look back, but there were a few Easter eggs that seemed to nod to where she came from.
She continued to evolve her design language, exploring unconventional materials such as sequined fringe, paper leather and tinsel raffia to craft intriguing textured dresses and outerwear. Tropes of female domesticity — shower caps, knee-high stockings and slips — became symbols of chic. And she generated sex appeal with vinyl bodysuits, lace-edged nylon slips and sheer mesh skirts scattered with sequins.
Burch played with form and volume on fab lampshade-shaped skirts and sleeveless dresses, and sprinkled in retro-futurist extras like compact knit hoodies, ergonomic minaudières and a new take on the Pierce shoe that’s a molded pump. Also on the accessories front, a new take on the Lee bag with handles that can be folded down to convert a shopper tote to a clutch.
Of particular note was tailoring, which felt more elevated, including futuristic uniform takes on military jackets, a brand mainstay since the Sgt. Pepper jacket days; a black hair calf zipper skirt and blazer worn with an OG Tory dickey, and a raw edge blanket stripe pants suit that was a distant cousin to the designer’s runway Baja hoodie from spring 2011.
After all, you can’t build heritage without looking back.
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