Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown and Tory Burch Hosted an Uplifting Q&A in the Middle of Fashion Week

Last night, the private room at L’Avenue at Saks bordered on serene. Beautifully dressed guests softly chatted as Champagne circulated. Orange and yellow blooms, the only source of color within the neutral space, adorned the tables. The playful plumes paid homage to the guest of honor, Tory Burch.

The scene was in stark contrast to the frenzy that had just occurred three floors below: Hundreds gathered to hear Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown and Burch discuss activism and leadership. Their banter elicited both laughter and emotional murmurs from the rapt audience. The event celebrated Burch’s renewed partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue and the introduction of a limited-edition capsule collectsion, launching exclusively with the retailer this month.

On stage, Burch and Brown exuded warmth and candor. The choice to open the panel to the public (and serve Champagne to all!) showcased how Queer Eye, much like Tory Burch, offers inspiration without iciness.

“Letting someone else shine,” Burch declared of building a team, “will not take away your shine.” So taken with Burch’s turn of phrase, Brown gleefully requested that the audience repeat the mantra aloud.

As she built the company, Burch never strayed from her optimism. Her colorful world, spanning from clothes to home decor, remains positive, motivational, and unapologetically whimsical. While New York Fashion Week has provided a parade of androgynous sophisticates (The Row), bedazzled party girls (Tom Ford, Prabal Gurung, Oscar de la Renta), and even some vampires (Rodarte), Burch stayed true to her woman—that is, a real one.

“Even with just two employees,” the designer built a corporate culture from the beginning that matched the brand’s aesthetic. After finding success, Burch established a foundation to advance female entrepreneurship by providing access to capital, education, and digital resources.

Similarly, Brown used his platform, whether as a social worker or a reality television star, to champion LGBT rights. In 2018, Brown received the Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award.

Themes from the conversation continued into the dinner. Sporting a striking pink suit, Brown, flown in from Los Angeles for only a few hours, spoke of his gratitude as well as the surreality of success. Gucci Westman, Halima Aden, Adwoa Aboah, and Roopal Patel were among the luminaries to toast Brown and Burch—a pair who leads by example.