Tory Burch brings London, Marrakech to snowy NY

Tory Burch, the mother of three who has built a fashion brand worth more than $3 billion, brought rugs and tapestries of Marrakech and London's Chelsea to a snowy New York Tuesday.

Guests to her Fashion Week show were transported to a bygone era in a Park Avenue building, covered wall to floor in rugs and tapestries, the same texture picked out on her delicate, feminine collection.

Burch told AFP that she was inspired by the 1960s and early 1970s -- a key fall/winter 2015 trend -- rooted in London's artsy Chelsea and Morocco's historic city of Marrakech, which has fascinated travelers for centuries.

The American businesswoman and designer got the idea from British crime film "Performance," in particular the end of the 1970 movie.

"It was this girl bringing back rugs from Marrakech, and she was looking so chic and effortless, so how to interpret that and make it modern, was the challenge," Burch told AFP backstage.

Digital cameras created the texture of tribal rugs and tapestries, which were then hand painted to give the fabric depth and character, she said.

The palate was simple and alluring in white, olive, blue, gray and burgundy. Keeping to her brand of affordable luxury, there was little of the fur that has characterized more extravagant collections this season.

The prints were paired with feminine silk and crepe de chine blouses and silk georgette dresses, cut on the bias and embellished with sequins.

Other adornments came in the form of gold rings or buttons studded into the material to sparkle in the light.

Burch set up her first shop in Manhattan in 2004 and the brand has morphed into a global business with more than 125 freestanding boutiques and a presence in more than 3,000 department and specialty stores.

Britain's Duchess of Cambridge chose a Burch coat for one of the most photographed engagements on a recent visit to New York: watching basketball and meeting music super stars Beyonce and Jay-Z.

"It's great. I'm completely honored," said Burch of her sartorial choice.

"I've never seen someone resonate with so many people and I think she's just beautiful and smart and elegant, so I think there's so much to her, and when she chooses something we're honored."

In December Burch opened a shop in Milan, and is to open a boutique in Paris later this year, before introducing a sportswear line in the fall, which Burch calls "our big next challenge."

"It's still work in progress," she said.

"But for me I love sports so it's something I've wanted to do for a very long time."

$1 = £0.65