Tory Burch, a visionary designer and entrepreneur, is known for blending women's empowerment with business purpose. Joining her is Pierre-Yves Roussel, the CEO and former LVMH leader. They discuss how authenticity and local relevance drive their global brand strategy. Burch emphasizes that purpose should guide business choices, while Roussel highlights the necessity of understanding different cultures. Their approach prioritizes genuine connections over superficial expansions, showcasing how to navigate the complexities of a competitive fashion landscape.
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How Tory Met Pierre-Yves
Tory Burch and Pierre-Yves Roussel first met through bankers at a breakfast meeting in Paris.
Their professional meeting evolved into a personal and business partnership that shaped Tory Burch's leadership.
insights INSIGHT
Authenticity Over Broad Appeal
Authenticity is the key factor that distinguishes brands today in an oversaturated market.
Trying to please everyone dilutes identity; connect deeply with those who relate to your brand's values.
insights INSIGHT
Purpose Drives Brand Strategy
Tory Burch built her business with a purpose-driven focus centered on women's empowerment from day one.
The company culture embraces diversity and authenticity, making it a unique workplace and brand.
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In this book, Daniel Kahneman takes readers on a tour of the mind, explaining how the two systems of thought shape our judgments and decisions. System 1 is fast, automatic, and emotional, while System 2 is slower, effortful, and logical. Kahneman discusses the impact of cognitive biases, the difficulties of predicting future happiness, and the effects of overconfidence on corporate strategies. He offers practical insights into how to guard against mental glitches and how to benefit from slow thinking in both personal and business life. The book also explores the distinction between the 'experiencing self' and the 'remembering self' and their roles in our perception of happiness.
Right from the outset, Tory Burch had a vision: to create a business where profit and purpose could go hand in hand. She was quick to take her brand global, first to Tokyo in 2009, and then on to Rome, Paris, Shanghai and beyond.
Today, Tory Burch operates more than 350 stores around the world and across the Global South, including the Middle East, Latin America and South East Asia.
Her partner in life and business, Pierre-Yves Roussel, joined the company as CEO in 2019 after working with some of the industry’s top creatives as Chairman and CEO of the fashion group at LVMH. Together, they’ve taken a measured, intentional approach to growth, balancing global ambition with a focus on finding local relevance.
“It seems so superficial to hear, ‘let's just transplant a Westerner into a [different] market. That's just the opposite of how we look at things,” says Burch. "Authenticity is what people are going to be looking for more and more," adds Roussel. "You don't try to please every customer in the world. You attract the people that relate to who you are and what you stand for and what you propose."
This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and CEO Imran Amed in conversation with Tory and Pierre-Yves from BoF CROSSROADS in Dubai, exploring what it means to build an authentic, global brand in today’s competitive fashion marketplace.
Key Insights:
Burch believes purpose should drive business strategy. “From day one, my business plan was how do we have a successful business with incredible products that actually have deeper meaning and support a foundation for women entrepreneurs,” she says.
Roussel emphasises authenticity as the key differentiator in today’s saturated fashion landscape. "People probably feel that there's too much formula around. Everyone is doing pretty much the same thing. People are really looking for authenticity."
Operating globally requires deep local insights. For Burch and Roussel, global expansion isn’t about transplanting a fixed brand formula. Instead, it’s about deeply understanding and respecting local traditions. "It seems superficial to transplant a Westerner into a market – that's the opposite of how we look at things," says Burch. Roussel adds, "You don't change the essence of who you are, but you translate it into the local culture."
Navigating uncertainty, like shifting global tariffs, requires resilience. "Grace under pressure is very important," says Burch. "You have to be calm, not overreact or overcorrect, because it’s an iterative process."
Thoughtful growth is central to Burch and Roussel’s strategy. "I've always wanted to be the most exceptional company, not necessarily the biggest," Burch explains. Roussel adds that "it's more about being focused and really going after things we really want."
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