A pale-aqua carpet ran the length of the runway, setting the mood of a luxurious hotel. No coincidence – the concept of Tory Burch’s Fall collection was “prim girl who’s under the spell of the wrong kind of guy,” a guy she has met at a hotel. Our lady is something of a rebel, and it looks like her man is the right kind of wrong! Going for a ramped-up, dressy look, Tory is clearly having fun breaking out from her staples.
An uplifting take on fall that’s at once ladylike and energetic, neutral and colorful, this Tory’s most vivacious collection to date. It’s the uptown we anticipate and want from her – appliqué-collar cardigans, all buttoned up, leather opera gloves reaching all the way up to thin biceps, and modest knee-length hems – but the widely varied show also had edge to its primness – blue leather, sequins set in Prince of Wales checks, flirty double-layer peplums, appliqués with chunk.
As polished and coordinated as it was, this isn’t the Tory girl we’re familiar with. Waxy, PVC finishes and bright abstract plaids are fabulous, but I’m not sure the girls wearing her flats on a daily basis will appreciate it. No matter – this is showy runway, but there’s an oddly impossible ease to Tory’s creations and her prints and fabrics will easily transition to department stores.
