NEW YORK — March 2020 — Tory Burch LLC announces the global launch of its “Walk the Walk” campaign for Spring/Summer 2020, coinciding with International Women’s Day on March 8 and Women’s History Month. The campaign brings together the new collection and the brand’s overarching message of women’s empowerment, distilled in Tory Burch’s signature call to action, #EmbraceAmbition; it will appear across multiple channels, including the Tory Burch website, social media and store windows as well as wild postings.
The new campaign builds on the Tory Burch Foundation’s Embrace Ambition global initiative, launched in 2017, and features powerful images of Natalia Vodianova and Anok Yai, as well as video of them with Tory, walking and talking about the importance of embracing ambition. Natalia says, “To me, ambition has to have purpose…” while Anok notes that “Your character is how you treat someone [who] can do nothing for you.” Tory sums up her personal philosophy and the deep sense of purpose that drives her: “Embracing ambition means empowering other women.”
“Walk the Walk” nods to Tory’s long-standing dedication to making a difference in women’s lives through her eponymous company and the Tory Burch Foundation, which provides access to capital, education and digital resources, as well as a Fellowship program.
Tory Burch, Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Tory Burch LLC and Founder of the Tory Burch Foundation said: “I wanted to design beautiful product that didn’t cost a fortune to help women feel beautiful and confident—this concept and starting a foundation for women was part of the original business plan. After we launched our Foundation in 2009, I was careful not to talk about our efforts because I never wanted it to be perceived as marketing. My parents raised me to know that talk is easy and it is what you do that counts. I wanted to be able to show that we were creating something truly impactful. Now that our Foundation has impact and scale, I am ready to talk about it. We have provided access to $57 million in affordable loans to 3,500 women entrepreneurs in the U.S. through our Capital Program with Bank of America. Our Company is committed to our Foundation and supporting women, and has given $20 million to the Tory Burch Foundation to help empower women. We walk the walk and we are committed to supporting women globally in their efforts to do the same.”
Over the last ten years, the Foundation has emerged as a powerful resource and go-to destination for women entrepreneurs in the United States. In addition to the Foundation’s Capital Program with Bank of America, 10,000 women have created their business plans on the Foundation’s website; and 50 fellows annually receive mentoring and grants through its signature Fellows Program.
The new campaign’s call to #EmbraceAmbition echoes the Foundation’s ongoing global initiative to address the double standard that exists around ambition. The second Embrace Ambition Summit will take place at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall on Thursday, March 5, 2020 in celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month.
Natalia Vodianova and Anok Yai share Tory’s commitment to embracing ambition and creating positive change. Natalia has used her modeling platform to make a difference at home in Russia and internationally, championing children with special needs and their families and investing in women-focused businesses. Anok was working toward a biochemistry degree before becoming a model and is interested in challenging gendered cultural expectations.
Tory’s message of women’s empowerment was front and center at her recent Fall/Winter 2020 runway show at Sotheby’s in New York. Set against a backdrop of eleven powerful sculptures by the artist Francesca DiMattio, whose work “imbues the decorative with strength and power,” models walked the runway to a live performance by singer-songwriter Alice Smith of the 1963 classic “You Don’t Own Me.”
About Tory Burch
Tory Burch is an American lifestyle brand that inspires people around the world to live in full color with character, beauty and confidence. Launched in February 2004, the collection is classic in spirit with a modern sensibility, embodying the personal style of the company’s Executive Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, Tory Burch. From the beginning, the collection included multiple categories ranging from footwear and ready-to-wear to handbags and home. There are more than 300 Tory Burch boutiques across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Asia and Australia, and the collection is available at over 3,000 department and specialty stores worldwide and toryburch.com. The brand’s dedication to helping women fearlessly follow their dreams is reflected in the work of the Tory Burch Foundation, which advances women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship in the United States.