It was 2004, the year of "Nipplegate" at the Super Bowl halftime show and sexist late-night talk show barbs. Ambition, Tory Burch recalls, was a dirty word for women back then, to the point where she recalls "shying away when a journalist asked me [about it] in a sort of negative way" as she was launching her namesake brand. That turned out to be a galvanizing moment for her, she says now. "I think it really cemented in me the desire to make it known that it was great for women to be ambitious."
Growing up in pastoral Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, with three brothers and parents who told her she was equal to any man, Burch says, "I didn't realize that women would be treated differently" in the workplace. When she entered the fashion industry, "I saw a very different scenario. I don't know if it was because a lot of my bosses were men at the time, but I just think women are held to different expectations."
Tory Burch, the brand, was an instant hit, with the designer's colorful printed tunics and Reva logo ballet flats becoming bestsellers. Oprah called her "the next big thing in fashion," and as with most things, Oprah was right. But beneath the shiny surface-Tory Burch, the woman, now admits-there was a fluttering of uncertainty. "I literally knew nothing when I first started," she says. "I had never designed; I had never run a business. So it was trial by fire, and learning as I went." She first raised funding for the brand by approaching a group of 110 friends and family members. "I said, 'Give what you're not scared of losing,' because I was so terrified of taking people's money."
Denne historien er fra April 2024-utgaven av ELLE US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 2024-utgaven av ELLE US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Peer Into Our Crystal Ball
And behold the future of your skin, hair, and body. The ELLE beauty team talked to experts to learn about the most exciting innovations ahead.
THE BIRTH OF THE LITERARY IT GIRL AESTHETIC
A new book brings Joan Didion, Eve Babitz, and their still-influential style into focus.
Love Lessons - JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON
The actor and former pro-athlete - star of Tenet, The Creator, and now The Piano Lesson, in select theaters November 8 - talks about facing his fears, being ghosted, and meeting one actual ghost.
KYLE'S WORLD
Front-row fixture and budding designer Kylie Jenner expands her growing empire.
Kesha Frees Herself
With a new album, her own record label, and a 10-year plan to upend the music industry, the liberated pop star says anyone with \"deep, dark secrets better run.\"
Making Her Own Way
Actress Nico Parker is shining by embracing her individuality.
WHERE THE WORLD'S BEST SKIERS GO
From the steepest slopes to luxury spas, find your spot.
EMPIRE STATE OF MIND
A new launch from Michael Kors celebrates the beauty and grit of New York City.
OUT OF OFFICE
For Agua by Agua Bendita, resort isn't merely a season—it's a lifestyle.
Fringe Fantasy
Alessandro Michele gets into a '60s groove with the Garavani Nellcôte bag from his debut collection for Valentino.