Tory Burch has recalled having to reject late music icon Prince’s request for her to design his tour outfits — while in the bathtub.
The 57-year-old fashion designer was flattered when the “Purple Rain” hitmaker — who died at the age of 57 in 2016 — phoned her up and asked to make his costumes, but she was only in her first year of business and didn’t have the “capacity” to take on Prince’s outfits, but he did end up wearing the brand’s clothes.
“I found a polyester tunic in a French flea market in Paris for $6. This was our shape from day one. Prince started to wear it on his tour. I don’t know how he discovered it, probably his stylist, and he ended up calling me on the phone. I was in the bath at the Beverly Hills Hotel, and my phone rang and it was Prince. He wanted me to do the costumes for his tour. It was our first year of business, and I really wanted to do it, but we didn’t have the capacity, so he just started wearing our clothing,” she told British Vogue.
Prince wore the tunic when he headlined Coachella in 2008.
Burch rarely works for one specific person, but she has designed looks for the likes of Phoebe Bridgers or Emily Ratajkowski for the prestigious Met Gala.
“How could I not include some Met Gala moments? It’s been really fun to explore working on dresses for specific people. It’s something we haven’t done a lot of, but I really love partnering with them, whether it’s Phoebe Bridgers or Emily Ratajkowski, or Adwoa Aboah. They all have their own perspectives on fashion, and how they see things,” she said.
