PALM BEACH FASHIONISTAS FLOCK TO HISTORICAL SOCIETY LUNCHEON WITH TORY BURCH
PALM BEACH, Fla. (March 30, 2006)--- More than 200 of the most stylish supporters of the Historical Society of Palm Beach County sashayed to The Breakers on March 16 for the organization’s luncheon lecture with Tory Burch, one of the newest and most recognizable names in fashion design.
The event featured an intimate, Q&A-style dialogue between Burch and Pamela Fiori, editor-in-chief of Town & Country, during which Burch revealed her favorite designers (Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang and Marc Jacobs, among others), her background in the fashion industry and her childhood growing up as a tomboy with three brothers in Philadelphia. She also shared her secrets for successfully juggling a career with motherhood, plus her plans to expand her newly created fashion empire, which includes locations in London, Hong Kong and Dubai. Models wearing Burch’s latest collection of airy, bold-printed designs were on hand to greet the luncheon guests, many of whom donned their own favorite Burch creations.
The event, Tory Burch’s only Palm Beach appearance this season, was presented by U.S. Trust, Town & Country, Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart, P.A. and Neiman Marcus. Kathy Bleznak served as chairman, and additional chairs were Brantley Knowles, Thomas Quick and Frances Scaife.
Guests included Talbott Maxey, Mac Zahringer, Jean Tailer, Diana Ecclestone, Mary Fairbanks, Mark Stevens, Sandra Heine, Annette Tapert, Maura Benjamin, Ross Meltzer, Patty Myura, John Loring, Nancy Peacock, Cobey Rapaport, Dorothy Kohl, Ellen Levy, Phyllis Krock, Luce Churchill, Michele Kessler, Jennifer Beer, Mai Harrison, Frayda Lindemann, Gail Nessel, Nancy Carter, Ellen Levy, and Annette Friedland, among others. Stephanie Ribakoff was the raffle winner of the $1,000 Tory Burch gift certificate to Neiman Marcus.
A virtual overnight sensation, Tory Burch has become the new “It” girl in fashion. Her clothing is now a wardrobe staple of the most elegant style-setters, including Hollywood leading ladies Reese Witherspoon and Debra Messing.
Burch launched her eponymous label in February, 2004 out of the desire to fill a void in the market for sophisticated American clothing at accessible prices. She creates signature designs, such as the popular embellished tunic, which are timeless, classic and trés chic. Her designs are inspired by styles from her favorite eras, the 1960s and 1970s, and influences include vintage wardrobes from her parents’ closet, and the works of fashion favorites such as Slim Keith, Talitha Getty and Babe Paley. Her style of wearable clothing blends classic and modern fashion sensibilities, combining accents of bohemian and ethnic details with bold, graphic prints and colors.
In April, 2005, her runway collection appeared on Oprah, spurring a department store sell-out of her rhinestone tunics. Grammy Award-winning Mariah Carey wore one of her famous tunics in a music video. Town & Country has proclaimed Burch one of “seven young designers who are updating American fashion,” and in 2005, she received the Rising Star Award for Retail from The Fashion Group International.
Born in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Burch’s career has been totally fashion-focused. She worked as an assistant for designer Zoran and managed public relations for Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang and Loewe. Her line of clothing is currently sold at freestanding stores in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta. A Dallas store and a Greenwich, Conn. store will open in the spring of 2006. Her collection is also available at Bergdorf Goodman, at select Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom stores and at a number of specialty stores throughout the United States.
For more information about Tory Burch, visit www.toryburch.com.
For more information about the Historical Society of Palm Beach County, visit www.historicalsocietypbc.org or contact Kae Jonsons, marketing director, (561) 832-4164, ext. 106.
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