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Words by Olivia Phillips
If you hadn’t heard, we’re in the midst of a full-blown Toryssaince. Since stepping down as CEO and passing that mantle to her husband, powerhouse designer-businesswoman Tory Burch has been free to return to what started it all: the creativity. And boy, is that gamble paying off.
At Monday night’s New York Fashion Week show in Brooklyn’s cavernous One Hanson Place, Tory placed a pierced mule-clad foot firmly into Cool Girl territory, cementing her status as fashion’s new-old favourite. To call it a hype label might be a stretch – but the building buzz is undeniable. The pierced shoes and bags that went viral are a case in point, particularly in the Middle East, where accessories rarely play supporting roles. More often than not, they are the outfit.
Her Spring/Summer ’26 collection will only fan the flames, bolstered by a starry guest list both on and off the runway. Emily Ratajkowski swished down the catwalk in a drop-waist, pleated cream midi skirt, while Naomi Watts and Emma Roberts joined Ciara, Mindy Kaling, Jessica Alba, Tessa Thompson and Qin Lan on the FROW, each dressed in Tory’s polished take on modern Americana. Representing the Middle East were Hala Alasmari, Dima Sheikhly and Abla Sofy, with Hala singling out the sheer, 1920s-inspired dresses as her standout favourites.
For us, though, it was the unexpected colour palette that thrilled most: lightning-bolt yellow clashed with mid-grey, chocolate spliced with turquoise. This was the hand of a rule-breaker, not the Tory Burch who once gave the world those gold medallion Reva flats.
Low-slung skinny flares, belted leather pencil skirts and sexy, fine-knit cardigans were joined by a piped blazer inspired by one owned by Tory’s father. “My dad was the chicest man alive,” she told us backstage after the show. “We always said he should have been a designer.”
The family touch continued post-show, when Tory posed for pictures with her clan – including her 92-year-old mother, impossibly elegant in heels – before heading to Brooklyn’s Lucali’s for a celebratory pizza dinner.
