Cultivate Creativity

Producing our fashion shows is an exhilarating experience where our team’s creativity and hard work comes to life. We just launched our Spring/Summer 2017 collection with a show today at the Whitney Museum of American Art. All of our collections have a concept at their core – this one is a tale of two coasts: the East Coast nautical prep culture vs. the West Coast bohemian surf scene.

And every concept starts with creative inspiration. But creativity can be fickle. It needs to be nurtured. It is fueled by intellectual curiosity, an open spirit and observation. Here are a few ways I cultivate creativity.

Explore

I love to travel to new places. My senses are heightened when I’m in unfamiliar surroundings. But you don’t have to travel to explore. Visit a new exhibit at your local museum, take a cooking class, see a play, go into the woods and photograph plants – even drive or walk to work using a new route. Getting out of your routine helps you to see things differently.

Collect

When you see something you love, take a picture. As you go through magazines tear out the pages that inspire you. Pin photos or things you like to your wall. If it’s not visual inspiration you need, keep the books, articles and quotes that inspire you easily accessible.

Surround Yourself With Original Thinkers

I started my company from my kitchen table. It was chaos, because I had three boys under the age of four. But luckily imaginative people who freely expressed their opinions also surrounded me. Our ideas became richer with each other’s input and our dialogue sparked new ideas. I continue to highly value brainstorming with other creative people.

Take a Break from Tech

I believe technology is a good thing – a great thing – but unplugging can be immensely valuable – especially if you’re exploring, collecting or with other people! Being away from a screen, even for a few hours, will allow you to be more in tune with your surroundings, and be more present with family and friends. 

Be a Life-Long Learner

I’m passionate about education. Continuing to learn is critical not only for growth but for stimulating creative thinking. Now you can hear great lectures, “attend” workshops and take classes online if you can’t get there in person.

Because I believe so strongly in education, we made it a key element of our Tory Burch Foundation Fellows Program for women entrepreneurs. Each Fellow receives $10,000 for education so they can continue to learn and grow their businesses. Applications for the Fellows Program open September 20 on ToryBurchFoundation.org.

I am so proud of my incredible team whose creativity made today’s fashion show a great success. I encourage everyone to cultivate their creativity and live their life in full color.

Watch the Spring 2017 show here.

This post was originally published on ToryBurchFoundation.org. The Tory Burch Foundation provides access to capital, education and digital resources to empower women entrepreneurs. Don’t forget to sign up for our free monthly newsletter. Follow the Tory Burch Foundation on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.