Tory Burch: Colouring her world

If you’ve walked into any Tory Burch boutique here — the luxury American brand opened its second store at Changi Airport in August — you’ll see how Burch infuses “classic-yet-modern sensibility and global aesthetics” into her outfits and accessories.

But just where does she get her inspiration from? That is revealed in her new book, Tory Burch In Color, which, as its title implies, is about colour and a compilation of the influences that inspire Burch, from people to music to art to culture to travel to home design.

“It’s this eclectic mix and that’s really what our company’s about as well, so it made perfect sense. It was really taking all the references that inspire us,” said Burch told The Associated Press at the launch.

The book — her first — is arranged by colour, with each chapter featuring photographs and anecdotes related to a different hue. The New York-based designer said the book really came together once she decided to arrange it that way.

“After many months of trying to figure out the format, we printed out all the pictures and laid them on the floor and I just started to sort it by colour and it just really started to take shape and come to life,” Burch said.

The book also includes photographs of trips Burch’s parents took and snapshots from vacations with her children, interiors of homes, images of works of art and fashions from her collections. Also featured are music playlists, reading suggestions and interviews with notable people, including Hillary Rodham Clinton and Carolina Herrera.

Burch, who marks the 10th anniversary of her company this year, said colour is something that has been on her mind since she was young. She recalled wanting a coral or orange bedroom as a young girl. While that never happened, she did realise that dream in a way eventually, by choosing to have orange doors when she opened her first store.

“My parents always really instilled in us: Live each moment, be very positive. So colour has many different meanings,” said Burch, who noted that 100 per cent of the proceeds from the book benefit the Tory Burch Foundation, which the designer established to help empower women through small business loans, mentoring and education.

Actress Jessica Alba, who was at the launch, said the book shows “how not just one thing inspires you”. “It’s your home, it’s your friends, it’s where you travel, it’s colour, it’s pottery, it’s a painting, it’s music, it’s a poem,” she added. “It’s nice to kind of get a peek inside Tory’s brain and her heart really.” AP