Tory Burch launched her luxury, lifestyle clothing brand in 2004, and within four years she has managed to make her orange color and Tory Burch logo iconic in the fashion industry (check it out at http://www.toryburch.com/). In an interview with CNBC, Burch describes what she considers to be the power of her brand, and the main point of difference is actually herself.

Women who purchase her clothes find her extremely relatable and admirable as a mother who balances her work, family, and social life. As a woman in business, she is perhaps more heavily scrutinized, but her positive social image has aided in attracting women of all ages to buy her clothes. Tory Burch also launched by opening a direct store and having a launch party during New York fashion week, as opposed to going to big department store retailers to distribute her clothing line. Much of her success can be attributed to her initial direct distribution, because when new designers set out to get their brands into retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman, Saks, and Bloomingdales, they rarely get recognition in comparison to the already established brands. By establishing a direct market initially and using a main point of difference as unique as her own self-image, Tory Burch has established a sustainable brand in an industry dominated by the first few Italian and French power houses.

The first Elizabeth Street location of Tory Burch.

sources:

CNBC interview with Tory Buch: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100000500