Tori Richard began life as a women’s brand, but over nearly 60 years it has evolved to become best known as a purveyor of men’s shirts. The kamaaina company is set to reclaim its past with a new focus on its growing women’s line and a new retail environment that’s equal parts yin and yang.
It all started with a brand audit a few years ago. Every 10 years the company takes stock of its attributes and direction, a process in which the company uses analogies to confront change, spark innovation and shape long-term goals.
"We’d ask things like, If Tori Richard were an animal, what kind of animal would it be; if it were a car what would it be; if it were an actor, who would it be?’" said second-generation President and CEO Josh Feldman. "That information is shared with everyone in the company so we’re all on the same page for the most part.
"We want to stay relevant and make sure the brand is accessible to the next generation, without alienating the old."
That means customers accustomed to the company’s high-quality men’s shirts will still find a full mix of polos, tees and printed shirts, including limited-edition items such as a line of shirts made with fine printed textiles from Lake Como, Italy. A glass-topped shirt bar in the newest store relocation at Ala Moana Center (mall level, near Nordstrom) offers an easy-to-view display of shirts, with plenty of counter space to spread out shirt selections for pairing with shorts and trousers.
Although the menswear collection continues to expand with the introduction of trim-fit Orange Label designs popular with the younger generation, the Tori Richard women’s collection, which launched the company in 1956, is now the brand’s fastest-growing segment. The store’s new look is part of a strategy to fuel that growth while paying homage to the company’s roots.
Key to the new approach is the arrival of designer Jessica Zaro, who worked with Lilly Pulitzer and Shoshanna before joining Tori Richard in 2011 as creative design director for the Tori Richard woman. Her "beach to bar" philosophy encompasses a strong dose of color and print, along with knowledge of how contemporary women want to dress.
"They want clothing that’s versatile, that can be worn during the day, then dressed up with heels, a clutch and perfect jewelry at night,"Zaro said. "I like to keep it simple but fashion-forward."
She said she was excited by the opportunity to work for Tori Richard, whose resort aesthetic appealed to her own vision of the glamorous life.
"Living in New York City, I lived for my summers,"Zaro said. "I loved to wear color and a flowy dress that felt so easy and chic at the same time. Everybody strives to have that lifestyle."
It’s one of the reasons she believes in Tori Richard’s potential to take the nation’s women’s market by storm, by broadening its appeal with more universal choices of colors and fabrics.
To coincide with the new direction, the dark woods and masculine look that once defined a Tori Richard boutique are giving way to the light appeal of coral symbolic of a casual, beachy lifestyle.
The recent changes run counter to much of the fashion industry, where there has been an explosion of men’s brands to cater to an emerging generation of peacocks. But for Tori Richard, which already has a strong men’s following, expanding the women’s collections is simply a matter of reclaiming past glory.
"In the 1960s and ’70s we had showrooms in Dallas, Chicago, L.A. and two showrooms in New York, one for lounge wear and one for resort wear," Tori Richard’s Feldman said.
At that time the business started by Feldman’s father, Mortimer, catered to the clientele of such high-end retailers as I. Magnin, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Sak’s Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman. The brand also was highlighted in the pages of fashion’s bible, Vogue magazine.
By the 1980s, men’s sportswear sales had overtaken the women’s line, and a decision was made to focus on men’s shirts. "To this day a whole generation doesn’t know we started as a women’s brand," Feldman said.
Starting over is never easy, which makes recent inroads into the women’s market gratifying, Zaro said.
"It’s very exciting to see the line doing well. It’s really about growing the brand and moving forward and becoming a more worldwide-known company. It shows we’re moving in the right direction."
