Tory Burch opens new concept store on Melrose Avenue

Fashion designer Tory Burch has teamed up with creative visionary Humberto Leon to open a new concept store in Los Angeles.

Located at 8483 Melrose Avenue, the Tory Burch concept store opened its doors on Monday, blending Burch’s iconic designs with the animal portraits of German photographer Walter Schels, whose work takes center stage in Burch’s Resort 2024 collection.

“There’s a human element to Walter’s photographs, in the way he looks at the animals and they in turn look back,” said Burch. “He gives animals the same respect as humans, highlighting their unique personalities and emotions.” 

Leon, a former visual merchandizer turned creative force, incorporated the spirit of an art exhibition into the boutique. In particular, Schels’s mouse portrait adorns the outer walls, while a mid-meow cat graces the walls of the interior space. 

A large shag carpet, resembling a cat tower, covers the floors, displays, and structural beams. Artist Aranza Garcia of Chuch Estudio in Merida, Mexico, was commissioned to craft pink ceramic seats, strategically placed in clusters of nine throughout the space. This playful environment serves as a backdrop for showcasing key items from the collection, including the Pierced mule, the Lee Radziwill Double Bag, and the new Kira Diamond Quilt Shoulder Bag.

The boutique will also feature the first drop of Burch’s Spring 2024 collection, showcasing items such as the Hoop dress, goddess dress, and Pierced wedge. Additionally, a special Melrose capsule collection has been designed by Burch and Leon, featuring T-shirts, sweatshirts, and totes adorned with abstract Schels portraits of the cat and bunny.

“We’re proposing different ways of wearing and styling clothing, making everything less precious, mixing runway with, for example, fleece,” said Leon. “In your closet, everything is equal. Your concert T-shirt you got when you were 18 is as valuable as the latest runway piece.” 

“I have long admired Humberto’s creativity,” added Burch, who met Humberto in the early 2000s when he launched Opening Ceremony with co-founder Carol Lim.

“I wanted him to feel free to experiment and bring his own point of view to the space, the photography, and the collection. I like the tension of collaborating with someone as creative as he is.” 

The boutique will be open through the end of the year, while the Tory Burch flagship on Rodeo Drive is renovated.