Celebrity News

Tory Burch, Eric Schmidt relationship: strictly business

Despite a rumor sweeping New York that — following her split with Lyor Cohen — high-flying designer Tory Burch is dating Google’s Eric Schmidt, we’re told their relationship is solely limited to business. One insider tells us, “There is a malicious rumor being put out there that Tory and Eric are dating, which is 1,000 percent not true. Tory and Eric admire each other strictly on a business level. Eric is an investor in her company and a business adviser, and speaks to her board.” We’re told Burch has only seen the billionaire twice in the past six months, at her holiday party and at a lunch at the Four Seasons with Leonard Lauder. Page Six revealed last week that Burch and the former Warner Music head amicably parted after dating five years. The source adds that Burch remains close friends with Cohen and it’s hoped they might reconcile. They spent time together over the weekend in Philadelphia and Cohen was at Burch’s Fashion Week presentation. Also at her show was LVMH Möet Hennessy Louis Vuitton CEO Peter-Yves Roussel, sparking speculation that he could be eyeing her line as an investment, amid buzz that her firm might go public. But the source said, “An IPO isn’t happening anytime soon. Tory has two new partners, and they are busy working out a way forward together.” It’s been a great few months for Burch. She settled her ugly dispute with ex Chris Burch, which made her a billionaire as her company was valued at $3.5 billion. A rep for Schmidt, who is still married but has most recently been linked to pianist Cho-San Nguyen, declined to comment.