Tory Burch is a designer who has got her niche down pat. She makes clothing for women who love practicality and eclecticism in equal measure – pieces that work well and look good doing it.
With her Spring/Summer 2016 show the designer talked about the idea of beauty growing with the passage of time. The melding of different elements to create something more resplendent than either object could achieve on their own. She certainly made a strong argument for this idea on her catwalk on Tuesday.
Using as her foundation two key shapes, the caftan and the wrap skirt, Burch proceeded to give those silhouettes a luxe treatment crafting them from colorful guipure lace, bright fringed tweeds, crisp cottons, and even burlap. Then she embellished the garments with everything from gold foil and crystals to bold beadwork.
The caftan, a Burch staple, morphed into tunics and shrunk all the way up into tops with practical side slits. And you have got to hand it to her, the style really worked no matter what length or fabric Burch decided to implement.
There was a sweetness and a slight vacation vibe about this collection. But it never went so far as to look too girly or inappropriate for office attire – with the right accessories.
It was only when Burch started to bring a bit of iridescence into her designs that you got the feeling she was working somewhat outside of her comfort zone. And that's not a bad thing. It's always important for designers to push themselves. In the case of the luminous pieces that closed out Burch's show, the results were hit and miss. A flower motif metallic silk dress in an oxidized green and gold was both novel and comely. Less so one crafted from a fil coupè organza that hued a little too closely to the properties of cellophane.
Overall, this show goes into the win column for Burch. But the real winner will be the stores that stock this collection.
