Rodeo Drive: Opening Party
What a bash! We celebrated our new store on Rodeo Drive with an opening party this week. Head on over to InStyle’s coverage here to see all the pictures — not to mention the people and the fashion.
Book of the Week: Anthony Hernandez’s Rodeo Drive, 1984
Rodeo Drive, host to our newest flagship, has had its memorable moments on film: when a certain Pretty Woman went on a shopping spree, for instance. For a lesser-known — but equally unforgettable — portrait of the iconic Beverly Hills stretch, we take a flashback to three decades ago. Photographer and Vietnam war vet Anthony Hernandez was inspired to take his first ever color images by the bustling everyday scene. The result? MACK’s Rodeo Drive, 1984 book, a 41-shot series documenting shoppers in the heady excess of 1984 — daydreaming, unaware or caught mid-conversation.
Tory’s City Guide: Los Angeles
Last night, we celebrated our flagship in one of the world’s shopping meccas: Rodeo Drive. Make a pilgrimage to check out our new Beverly Hills home — which features an open terrace and a fantastic fretwork front. Then, while you’re in the neighborhood, head on over to another one of L.A.’s famous drags — Sunset Boulevard — for a chopped salad by the pool at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Take a peek in our Los Angeles travel guide for more sunny-city stopping points, and scope out our L.A. issue here on The Tory Blog for can’t-miss spots from local tastemakers.
Go to Tory’s Los Angeles City Guide here.
Film: The Rodeo Collection by Lisa Eisner
There are two stars in Lisa Eisner’s new film, above. The first: Tory’s Rodeo Collection, inspired by the beauty of Southern California. The second? Lotusland, a fantastical garden hideaway tucked away in Montecito. They complement one another perfectly — each an escape to something glamorous and elegant. But together here, set to the tune of Julia Holter’s dreamy My Baby, they create a world and gorgeous reverie of their own where, as Lisa puts it, “magic happens.”
Behind the Scenes: Lisa Eisner on the Rodeo Film
We chatted with Lisa Eisner about the inspirations and the story behind her new film, which shines a spotlight on Tory’s Rodeo Drive collection. Read all about her favorite moments and why she chose to shoot at Lotusland — plus, discover the next garden she’s set her creative sights on.
Word of Mouth: Lotusland
Polish opera singer and socialite Ganna Walska married six times, but her true love turned out to be an estate just outside Santa Barbara, California — to which she devoted 43 fruitful years. There, she transformed a sprawling 37 acres into her otherworldly Lotusland, hanging succulents that call to mind jellyfish, planting the swimming pool with her beloved lotuses and collecting priceless rare specimens — some of which are extinct in the wild. Her “million dollar garden” — named after the amount she fetched auctioning off her extensive collection of diamonds, sapphires and emeralds to finance the grounds’ development and the exotic backdrop for Lisa Eisner’s film featuring the Rodeo collection — is now open to the public, by appointment only.
Tory On: The Rodeo Drive Collection
Not only are we celebrating our new flagship on Rodeo Drive with a film by Lisa Eisner and an opening party tonight, but Tory’s also created a special collection to mark the moment. Here wearing the Isabel gown paired with beaded drop earrings, Tory talks to us about the Rodeo Collection’s inspirations and the store design itself.
Meet the Songstress: Julia Holter
No film is complete without a soundtrack and, for Lisa Eisner’s beautifully cinematic take on Tory’s Rodeo Drive collection, that song comes courtesy of the L.A.-based Julia Holter — her dreamy My Baby perfectly captures the moment. Here, wearing Tory’s Grayson coat, Jasmine top and Drew pant, Julia tells us about the song’s inspiration and dishes on stage style and touring highs and lows.
Most Wanted: Resort 2014 Photo Frames
The Resort 2014 celebration continues. We’ve updated our Instagram-ready photo frames on the Tory Daily app with a selection inspired by the season’s key prints, including bold nautical stripes and the graphic fan-like Madura. There’s also a simple gold logo for the minimalists at heart and, for those who like a shot of elegant flair, a frame with “Divine” — a signature expression of Tory’s mother Reva.
Download Tory Daily here to get the new frames.
Satine’s Kelly Sawyer On: L.A. Style
As both Creative Director for L.A.-based boutique Satine’s private label and Co-President of nonprofit Baby2Baby, Kelly Sawyer has style and far-reaching interests. Here wearing Tory’s Vesper top at Arcana Books — the go-to place in Los Angeles for rare art, fashion and photography books — she shares her L.A. closet must-have, quick-fix beauty tip and some words of wisdom from DVF.
Jaime King On: What I Love About L.A.
“I love this picture with my cast from Hart of Dixie. We are all chilling at the Warner Brothers studio. To me, this is a group of artists who followed their hearts and made their dreams come true. This is what is so magical about L.A. — the beauty of hard work and persistence that manifests a high creativity and way to share it with the world.” — Jaime King
Mindy Kaling On: What I Love About L.A.
“If the idealized version of my life took place in New York, it would include a scene of me falling in love with a guy in the dead of January winter at 1 AM, huddled in pea coats and scarves in a booth at Odessa in the East Village, eating pierogi, scored to Fred Astaire’s Cheek to Cheek. In L.A. it’s replaced with me at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles at 1 AM in the dead of a September heat wave, my thighs sticking to the booth, sharing waffles and fried chicken with a guy and listening to Ice Cube.”
— Mindy Kaling
L.A. Top 10: Merle Ginsberg’s Best Hollywood Parties
When it came time to put together a list of the best Hollywood parties, there was really only one person we could turn to: Merle Ginsberg, Senior Style Writer at The Hollywood Reporter. She’s covered every glittering big-name blowout there since the Nineties — and the after and after-after parties — for everyone from Harper’s Bazaar to W Magazine. If you ever wanted in on the city’s celeb-studded scene, this is your chance to party vicariously. Here, the morning after the Golden Globes, we give you an insider’s insider view of L.A.’s best bashes ever.
Merle, above left, with Gwyneth Paltrow at W/WWD’s Black & White party, 2002
Expert Guide: Marlien Rentmeester’s L.A.
All eyes are on L.A. this week as we celebrate our new Rodeo flagship with an opening party tomorrow night. Here on The Tory Blog, we kick things off with Marlien Rentmeester of Le Catch — wearing Tory’s Liv dress — who reveals the best brunch spot, where to celebrity gaze, where to stay and where to… get away.
To See: Remembering the Artist Robert De Niro, Sr.
Next week at the Sundance Film Festival you’ll see a familiar name on the roster — but it’s not who you think. Remembering the Artist: Robert De Niro, Sr. puts the spotlight on the actor’s father, a painter who, though surrounded by a circle of friends that included Anaïs Nin, Josef Albers, Tennessee Williams and Jackson Pollock, never hit that level of fame himself. Here, we talk to director Perri Peltz about the documentary and the man, and what it was like working with his famous son.
New on the Scene: Kelly Connolly’s Ultimate Accessory
We’re mad about our Madura print from Resort 2014 — and we’re not the only ones. You’ve seen it on Tory, in our new swim collection, spliced into caftans and reworked as bags and flats, but it’s also gotten the Blue Crush treatment, courtesy of L.A.’s Kelly Connolly. The Founder of Everyday Surfboards, who’s made a career out of handcrafting boards, created a custom Tory Burch surfboard with our logo on one side and the fan-like Madura motif on the other. We love it. Now that’s what we call riding the waves in style.
Tory’s Playlist: Resort 2014
A vacation escape is closer than you think. We pulled together a playlist inspired by Tory’s Resort 2014 collection, setting the mood for a lot of sun-kissed R&R — from the bright tunes of Haim and Vampire Weekend to the blissed-out sounds of Rhye and Lorde. And let’s never forget how much we love The Everly Brothers! Just listen and unwind.
Hear it now on Spotify.
Getaway: Ashley Wick’s Kauai
Next stop in our getaway trek? The sandy beaches and lush landscapes of the island of Kauai. We got the virtual tour from Ashley Wick, Founder of communications consultancy Wick and Co., who shared her vacation ins and outs to this slice of Hawaiian paradise.
Beach Style: Natalie Suarez
There’s no place like… a sun-kissed beachscape, especially now when temperatures are dipping across the country. To help us get into that sunny state, the L.A.-raised, New York-based blogger behind Natalie Off Duty takes us back to her Venice roots and shares her beach-going musts — from oversized hats to Elizabeth Gilbert memoirs.
From left: Natalie wearing Tory’s Amira dress, and Madura surf shirt, Boria hipster and Careen loafers
Look We Love: Navy & White
Crisp navy and white. Whether worn ladylike or boyish, it’s a classic combination. Commit to the look with one type of stripe, from top to bottom — right down to the matching pointy-toe shoes. Or go for contrast, color-blocking a dark navy dress with a white ivory clutch — or vice versa. The look is simple yet striking.
Word of Mouth: Frisian Getaway
When it comes to idle beach escapes, Germany isn’t exactly the first destination to spring to mind. But next time you’re jetting off to Munich, where we’ve opened a new store, you can always stop over in the little-known Frisian Islands, in the northeast corner of the country, for some R&R. Sylt is home to 600 species of butterflies — and an annual windsurfing World Cup — while quiet hideaways Langeoog and Borkum (above) offer biking trails, endless beaches and, for the city weary, car-free zones.
Resort 2014: Swim Lookbook
Welcome to your one-stop shop for looking chic in the sun. The Resort 2014 swim collection features a range of swim silhouettes, from retro-sexy to sporty and Seventies-chic, that delivers impeccable fit. Wherever you’re going — whether Barbados, Bali or a backyard pool — come here first for the best swimsuits, cover-ups and more. Go ahead, dive right in.
Swim Guide: The Suits
Tomboy or glam? Coverage vs. skin baring? Lounge chair or laps? So many factors play into the perfect swimsuit. Based on fittings and fine-tunings, we’ve created bikinis, maillots and surf shirts that deliver an impeccable fit for every shape, style and beach — or poolside activity.
Shop all swimwear and discover your perfect silhouette here.
Swim Guide: The Fabric
When it comes to bathing suits, flattery is everything. Our latest collection truly perfects the ensemble de plage, thanks to our wonder-working swim fabric — made by Eurojersey, a world-renowned source for innovative knits. Our high-performance suits do it all: look great, feel great. The show-pony meets the workhorse.
Shop all swimwear and learn about our high-performance fabric here.