Tory Burch gives look at what inspires her in new book focused on colour

DALLAS – Tory Burch’s new book is all about colour, a compilation of the influences that inspire her, 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 while in Dallas for an event Friday to kick off the release of her first book.

“Tory Burch In Color,” set to be released Tuesday (Abrams), 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 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 realize that dream in a way eventually, by choosing to have orange doors when she opened up her first store.

She said the idea of colour relates not just to fashion and design but also accepting all people and living a colorful life. “My parents always really instilled in us: live each moment, be very positive. So colour has many different meanings,” said Burch, who notes 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 participated in the Dallas event by engaging Burch in a conversation for the audience, said the book shows “how not just one thing inspires you, but 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.”

“It’s nice to kind of get a peek inside of Tory’s brain and her heart really.” Alba said.

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