Born on 17th June 1966 as Tory Robinson; Tory Burch is an American fashion designer, businesswoman, and philanthropist. She is the Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of her own Luxury brand, Tory Burch LLC. She was listed as the 88th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes in 2020.
Her eponymous fashion line, which includes high-end handbags and Reva ballet flats, is ubiquitous. The designer's bags, sunglasses, and shoes are flying off the shelves at Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Saks.
Burch started her career as a fashion copywriter. After her ex-husband, retail tycoon Christopher Burch gave her $2 million, she began designing clothes in her kitchen. Before long, she had an important celebrity endorsement and soaring sales figures.
Her mother is a former actress, while her father was an investor. She graduated high school and attended the University of Pennsylvania. She worked as a sittings assistant for Harper’s Bazaar, then moved into PR and advertising at Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang, and Loewe during Narciso Rodriguez’s tenure.
In 2004, she launched her New York City flagship boutique. It's located in the retail mecca of NoLita. Pictured is her Madison Avenue store. The next year she launched Toryburch.com. Her line was "preppy-boho" and was credited with making T-shirts trendy again.
In 2008, the Council of Fashion Designers of America named her the Accessory Designer Of The Year. Burch beat out heavyweights like Michael Kors and Marc Jacobs. Since then Burch has consistently been included on Forbes' list of The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women.
In 2009, Burch appeared on an episode of "Gossip Girl" as herself. The trendy cast often wears her designs. In 2010, she launched a collection of sunglasses. The line is now carried at Nordstrom and Saks. Following that, she made her New York Fashion Week debut in 2011.
Burch is also an avid philanthropist. In 2009 she launched the Tory Burch Foundation, which advances women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship in the United States by providing access to capital, education, and digital resources. In March 2019, her Foundation's program for women received an additional $50 million in funding from Bank of America, doubling its pledge from five years prior.
Today, Tory Burch's designs are all over the world. Her brand is available at 49 free-standing Tory Burch stores across the U.S., 24 international stores, toryburch.com, and over 1,000 select department and specialty stores worldwide.
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