It's game on for Tory Burch. On Wednesday, Tory Sport will launch her first sports collection in New York via a pop-up shop downtown. According to WWD, the store is the space where Burch launched her apparel and accessories company 11 years ago. And a permanent location the Flatiron District at 129 Fifth Avenue is expected to bow in March.
It's a serious play for Burch. Performance - just like the nature of her active collection - is paramount to the Tory Burch name. The designer wants to tap the 'athleisure' market, which is now a new category in women's wear, as opposed to being a fleeting trend.
“It’s not a trend, it’s a shift in the way women are dressing. Women are wearing sport clothes throughout the day and even into the evening,” Burch told WWD.
But the luxury designer stressed her collection is aimed at women who actively participate in sports, with a strong fashion edge, rather than at the booming “athleisure” sector.
“It was another start-up. It’s a whole new concept, a different logo [a graphic take on ‘T’] and a different aesthetic. It’s function meets real style,” said Burch, who has been meticulously planning Tory Sport for the past 2.5 years.
With a retro vibe, Tory Sport features clothing, bags, shoes and accessories for running, studio, tennis, golf and swim, as well as the termed 'Coming & Going' - a category of pieces that can be worn before and after a workout.
Tory Sport is ultra chic too, with a focus on deep red, white and navy. Standout looks include a color-block track jacket in navy and white and color-block track pants in blue.
A merino turtleneck sweater in red, wide-leg track pant in white and pearl slip-on sneakers in white create an urban look for winter. Then, there's a a front-zip rashguard in floral fields and bikini bottom in navy for summer.
Fabrics are quick dry, wicking, waterproof and SPF. High performance yarns are blended with Coolmax. In total, there are 151 styles and 256 stockkeeping units in the collection.
Burch would like to open a store for the line in Los Angeles, as well as San Francisco, Florida and Texas, and eventually Japan and the U.K.