Last night, Tory Burch’s AW24 collection dazzled the halls of the New York Public Library. Crowds of eager passersby and paparazzi eagerly watched a star-studded front row – including Uma Thurman, Awkwafina, and Kathryn Newton – climb the stairs to the Stephen A. Schwarzman.
Behind the library facade, to the eclectic beats of Joy Division, The Cure, and Bach, playful reinterpretations of Tory’s ready-to-wear classics turned heads. The timeless yet contemporary 34-look collection derived inspiration from the silhouettes and textures of ordinary objects, presenting itself in a confluence of architectural details and effortless silhouettes. “We were thinking about making the everyday sublime: an old jacket, a lampshade, even a shower cap,” Burch shared in the show notes. Sharp angles, smocked curves, and bonded performance-wear evoked the volume of these unassuming sources of inspiration, reinterpreted through a wide array of textiles.
Striking a balance between strength and sensuality, models walked in layered, juxtaposing looks of light, sheer pieces and structured, sleek counterparts. She alternated between the refined – including the glossy faux croc and calf hair – and the undone – from frayed wool to unravelling ruffles – and subverted the standard construction of performance wear through raw-cut, heat-bonded seams. Using raw denim, paper leather, and cotton-blends treated to give a “crocodile skin” finish were frequent players, Burch placed an emphasis on sustainability — making magic out of the ordinary and proving her concept truly goes beneath the surface.
Emily Ratajowski – donning earrings of clusters of glass fruit – walked in a faux croc bodysuit beneath a sheer jersey mesh skirt, encompassing the effortless confluence of sensuality and a newfound edge.
