Pandemic time restrictions robbed Michael Kors of his 40th anniversary festivities in February 2021. Half a decade later, it’s time for his 45th. Only Ralph Lauren and Norma Kamali on the New York Fashion Week schedule have been at it for more time. Discussing his longevity in the days before his show, Kors chalked it up to being consistent and inconsistent at the same time.
He sees parallels in his own constant reinvention with that of his adopted hometown. “New York,” he said, “is about resilience, strength, grit, and curiosity.” And, also, a heaping dose of glamour. For a backdrop tonight, Kors booked the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, its chandeliers and gold-leaf ceiling glinting in the twilight even as its monumental Chagall murals are being considered for sale to raise funds for the cash-strapped institution.
The collection, as promised, balanced Kors classics with Kors innovation. Of course there was plenty of tailoring, only for fall 2026 his typically crisp jackets and pants were cut for fluid movement: the pockets of a grey flannel blazer trailed bias-cut I-don’t-know-what-to-call-thems, but they gave the jacket a dramatic flair, and what looked like trousers in front turned to reveal a long skirt complete with a train in back. And, most certainly, there were feathers and paillettes, but instead of adorning slinky jersey dresses (Kors has never really been a gown guy) they decorated T-shirts, button-downs and pleated pants. His knack for a high-low combination, the plush and the practical rolled up in a single outfit, is probably his greatest contribution to fashion. That and his gift for repartee.
Reflecting on 45 years in the business, Kors said black turtlenecks, camel coats, and white shirts have been his most frequent go-tos, “and maybe black dresses. It would be a battle royale between that foursome.” They were all in the mix here, though some of the black turtlenecks turned out to be dickeys. “I love layering without making people feel heavy,” he explained. There was none of that kind of feeling at the after-party he threw at PJ Clarke’s. Rufus Wainwright sang “New York State of Mind,” a song released in 1976, making it five years older than the Michael Kors label. How fitting that Kors told the crowd, “45 years in, I still feel like a kid.”
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