Tory Burch Evokes Sport at New York Fashion Week

Models walk the runway for Tory Burch during New York Fashion Week in New York on September 9, 2024. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP)
Models walk the runway for Tory Burch during New York Fashion Week in New York on September 9, 2024. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP)
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Tory Burch Evokes Sport at New York Fashion Week

Models walk the runway for Tory Burch during New York Fashion Week in New York on September 9, 2024. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP)
Models walk the runway for Tory Burch during New York Fashion Week in New York on September 9, 2024. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP)

American designer Tory Burch unveiled a collection imbued with the spirit of sport -- but without venturing into sportswear -- at New York Fashion Week on Monday.

Freedom and movement were reflected in loose-fitting wool pants and wrap dresses, while power shone through in the assembly of different pieces, fabrics and cuts on the models marching down the catwalk.

"It's more about the spirit and the essence of sport," Burch, whose shows have become a staple of New York Fashion Week, told Agence France Presse of the Spring/Summer 2025 collection.

That means it's about "movement, about freedom, precision" as a starting point, she explained, adding: "The word 'synchronicity' was something I thought about."

Burch, who this year celebrated the 20th anniversary of her eponymous fashion house, said: "I wanted to be careful with not having too many different prints, but I wanted it to come across some textures and the fabrics and the color well."

Among the standouts was an ensemble of ultra-light suede pants with a rope belt and a skin-tight sweater patterned in red and white.

A transparent white jersey shirt with ruffles and overly long sleeves was paired with its formal counterpart, brown wool pants.

Once again, the Pennsylvania native broke from the style that made her famous, a combination of preppy New England with a touch of the bohemian.

A regular at New York's iconic venues, Burch chose the top floor of the former Domino sugar factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, with its breathtaking view over Manhattan, for her show.

Along with Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, the show was attended by actresses Michelle Williams, Elizabeth Olsen and Kirsten Stewart.

"I want to have a dialogue, but I want to keep evolving and taking it in new directions," the designer said, adding: "I think it's important to have some continuity."



Zara Founder Ortega triples investment in energy assets

Shoppers walk past a Zara clothes store, part of the Spanish group Inditex, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, December 13, 2022. (Reuters)
Shoppers walk past a Zara clothes store, part of the Spanish group Inditex, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, December 13, 2022. (Reuters)
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Zara Founder Ortega triples investment in energy assets

Shoppers walk past a Zara clothes store, part of the Spanish group Inditex, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, December 13, 2022. (Reuters)
Shoppers walk past a Zara clothes store, part of the Spanish group Inditex, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, December 13, 2022. (Reuters)

Zara founder Amancio Ortega's investment firm Pontegadea almost tripled its investments in renewable energy projects last year, building on its push to diversify the Spanish billionaire's fortune beyond his fashion empire and real estate.

According to 2023 financial statements filed with the Mercantile Register and seen by Reuters, the family office of the main owner of Zara mother company Inditex poured 693 million euros ($766.87 million) into wind, solar and other energy assets in Spain and France, up from 273 million in 2022.

The bet on renewable energy comes at a time when Inditex itself has set new targets to reduce its environmental impact by 2030 and respond to regulatory pressures.

Pontegadea said it will not provide additional information about its annual reports.

For years, Ortega's family firm has favoured real estate to invest the hefty returns of its core fashion business, buying logistics centres used by large global companies, such as Fedex and Amazon, luxury buildings in the United States and Europe, as well as offices and stores.

Ortega controls 59.29% of Inditex capital trough Pontegadea Inversiones and Partler Participaciones, and his family office received 2.2 billion euros worth of Inditex dividends in 2023.

Ortega's investment vehicle bought logistics centres and buildings in Ireland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg in 2023, continuing to build a property portfolio that exceeded 13 billion euros, according to the filings.

Pontegadea also invests in real estate assets worldwide through other firms and received at least 548 million euros from rents in 2023, 17% more than a year earlier.

It reported a list of minority stakes in 13 energy assets at the end of 2023, most of them in Spain after signing several deals with energy firm Repsol to buy stakes in wind and solar farms.

It also has minority holdings in three French wind energy parks in the Montagne d'Ardéche, Taillades Sud and Champagne Picarde areas.

In 2022, Pontegadea bought a 5% stake in Spanish gas grid operator Enagas and its hydrogen and renewables unit Enagas Renovable.