Agnes Irwin students and their moms kickstarted summer with a choice “OMG!” meet-and-greet opportunity in May, hobnobbing with 1984 AIS graduates Tory Burch and Kara Ross. The high-achieving fashion-industry mavens were in town for their 25th reunion, and to take part in a new initiative by the all-girls school called “Making Their Mark,” which brings former students back to campus in a mentorship capacity while honoring them for making an impact in their professions.
And Burch and Ross certainly have done that. The co-founder and creative director of her namesake “attainable luxury lifestyle” brand, Burch is a recipient of both the FGI Rising Star Award (for best new retail concept) and the ACE Award (for accessory brand launch of the year). There are 16 Tory Burch boutiques across the country, and her lines are available at over 400 department and specialty stores worldwide. As the owner of Kara Ross New York, Ross won the FGI Rising Star Accessories Award for her niche luxury handbag, and fine and boutique jewelry collections.
The two spent time with AIS students interested in careers in the arts, reminding them that there’s more to working in the fashion industry than having a great wardrobe and all the right accessories. Later, moms got their chance to chat with Burch and Ross at a luncheon held in their honor.
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