# Tory Burch: Tory Burch

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2023-06-05
- Length: 1h 09m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-05-tory-burch-tory-burch

## Summary

Tory Burch, founder of the Tory Burch lifestyle brand, explains how she identified a gap for 'attainable luxury' and launched her company in 2004 after failing to revive the dormant 1960s brand Jax. She details the scrappy early days of operating from her apartment, securing manufacturing in Hong Kong, and the pivotal moment when Oprah Winfrey featured the brand, driving massive e-commerce traffic. Burch also discusses the personal and professional turmoil of her divorce from co-founder Chris Burch, the subsequent legal battles over his competing brand C Wonder, and her eventual shift from CEO to Executive Chairman to focus on design.

## Chapters

- [3:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-05-tory-burch-tory-burch#t=183) Introduction: Tory Burch and the Gap in Luxury Fashion
- [8:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-05-tory-burch-tory-burch#t=517) Early Career and the Idea for Attainable Luxury
- [29:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-05-tory-burch-tory-burch#t=1740) Launching the Brand: Logo, Name, and Hong Kong Manufacturing
- [38:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-05-tory-burch-tory-burch#t=2326) The First Store, Oprah Feature, and E-commerce Growth
- [49:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-05-tory-burch-tory-burch#t=2954) The Iconic Reva Ballet Flat and Word-of-Mouth Marketing
- [53:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-05-tory-burch-tory-burch#t=3181) Divorce, Chris Burch, and the C Wonder Legal Battle
- [58:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-05-tory-burch-tory-burch#t=3497) The Tory Burch Foundation and Philanthropy
- [1:05:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-05-tory-burch-tory-burch#t=3923) Scaling to Global Retail and Stepping Down as CEO

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Ralph Lauren (company)
- Vera Wang (company)
- LVMH (company)
- Zoran (company)
- Jax (product)
- Monco (company)
- C Wonder (product)
- Reva (product)
- Bergdorf Goodman (company)
- Bank of America (company)
- Michael Kors (company)
- Chanel (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [006: Customizable swimwear with Kelsey Duffy of Versakini](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-04-19-006-customizable-swimwear-with-kelsey-duffy-of-versakini) (Product Startup)
- [Founder Feature: Tabi and Meena Hoshmand of Tursh](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-14-founder-feature-tabi-and-meena-hoshmand-of-tursh) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Emmanuel Waters and Courtney Tucker of Old Hillside Bourbon](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-03-06-founder-feature-emmanuel-waters-and-courtney-tucker-of-old-hillside-bourbon) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: JoLynn Henke and Peter Clarkson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-05-24-founder-feature-jolynn-henke-and-peter-clarkson) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Lex Evan of Lexington Bakes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-05-01-founder-feature-lex-evan-of-lexington-bakes) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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