Chris Burch has spent the past year defending his new C. Wonder brand from accusations that he ripped off his ex-wife Tory Burch. More awkward still, he continues to be a major shareholder of her company and sits on the board — which, according to Page Six, has caused more than a few “boardroom showdowns.” Both Burches have been quiet about their rumored conflicts until Gayle King flat-out asked Chris about them today on CBS This Morning. Here’s how that went:
KING: But, do you think that the two brands look similar because when I first looked at your line I did think it was Tory’s brand. Do you think they look similar?
BURCH: It certainly doesn’t look like Tory’s brand. It’s the association of the name that gives some people that indication. I think the aesthetic is the same. I think Tory’s amazing. She grew up outside of Philadelphia, as I did. It’s a very classic area. But Tory has a much more stylized point of view, and we’re [C. Wonder] more about happy, fun whimsical… it’s just kick and fun with us. We give balloons and candy away in the store… The vision of our store is, yes we’re a luxury store, and yes our prices are amazing, but more important is that we have a lot of whimsy, and Tory is very serious, serious fashion.
Later in the interview, she asked about how awkward it is working with one’s ex-spouse:
KING: I’m fascinated with exes working together, because you two are board members, am I right? What’s a board meeting like? Are you sitting at one end and she’s sitting at the other? How does it work?
BURCH: Yes, and this is really interesting, because look, there’s conflict in any relationship. There’s conflict in anything. I think Tory and I, both of our number one priority is, “How do our stores look? What’s the perception of what the customer’s getting?” My expertise is very wide. I understand sourcing at a very deep level. I spend a lot of time in the factories. I understand a lot about how to brand. I understand the financials. I understand everything. Tory’s probably the best in design and imaging. So these board meetings are like how any good board meeting in any business should be — we’re challenging each other, asking how we can make the business better, and what we should do going forward.
Chris then went into a long spiel about how nice the CBS studio was and waxed on about King’s acrylic desk, which was awkward to watch. You can see the whole video here.
