The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Alina Cho Are Ready for a Return

In another sign of New York City’s cultural reawakening this fall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is bringing back “The Atelier With Alina Cho” as an in-person event.

Tory Burch will chat with Cho at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 28 at the museum. The series hasn’t been dormant, despite an extended temporary closing in 2020 during the lockdown: Fans and followers of both Cho and The Met tuned in virtually for special events.

More from WWD

• Met Costume Institute Exhibits 'In America: A Lexicon of Fashion' for 75th Anniversary

• Backstage at Tory Burch RTW Fall 2020

• Front Row at Tory Burch RTW Fall 2020

Burch plans to discuss how she built a global brand starting out in the kitchen of her Manhattan apartment in 2004. It is estimated to be a $1.5 billion company today. The designer will also talk about her longtime commitment to empowering women, which is also the bedrock of the work of the Tory Burch Foundation. Last month her foundation opened applications for the 2022 edition of its fellows program that will result in yearlong fellowships for 50 female entrepreneurs.

Burch is expected to chat with Cho, an Emmy-award-winning journalist, about what goes into heading up a luxury fashion empire that was inspired by her parents’ effortless style and her art history background. The Pennsylvania-born designer’s advocacy for the American fashion community will be another topic of conversation. During the coronavirus crisis, Burch led the industry’s lobbying efforts for direct federal aid. The designer has also been a champion for New York City. Her most recent runway show last month during New York Fashion Week was an outdoor one in front of her new Mercer Street store. With the thoroughfare closed to vehicular traffic, she invited a few area businesses like Mercer Street Books, Emily Thompson Flowers and Sant Ambroeus to set up shop on the street alongside her runway with free treats for all.

The Atelier with Alina Cho has featured an assortment of high-profile designers and industry insiders. The series is now in its eighth year. Cho has her own new ventures, having launched the “Cho & Tell” newsletter on Facebook Bulletin last summer.

Best of WWD

• The Eight Must-See Moments From the 2020 Grammy Awards

• American Dream: What to Know About New Jersey's Supersized Shopping Mall

• The Biggest Spring 2020 Fashion Trends From the Runways

Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.