Michael Kors reimagines American classics at his New York Fashion Week SS20 show

“New York city is always newness and optimism” said Kors
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Karen Dacre12 September 2019

The eighteenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks seemed like the perfect opportunity for Michael Kors to unveil his own American Dream.

At a show that began with a live performance of Don McLean’s American Pie - sung by the Young People’s Chorus of New York - the designer unveiled stars, stripes and classic New England prep style.

The show took place less than an hour after the city paused to remember those they lost in the twin towers attacks.

Guests travelled from Manhattan by water taxi to attend the event which was held in a modernist block in Brooklyn. The nautical mood continued on the catwalk with sailor hats and anchor motifs a mainstay.

“New York city is always newness and optimism” said Kors before show, noting that researching the ancestry of his grandmother who arrived in the city as an immigrant from Eastern Europe, had given him the starting point for the collection.

AP

Accordingly, it was a reimagining of American classics with sweetheart dresses embellished with cherry motif, wide leg slacks and oversized chambray jackets among the classic items on offer.

The contrast between old America and new also played a key role. “It’s New England meets the Lower East side” said Kors of the punkish plaid overcoats that gave the collection its baseline.

As a reminder of the USA’s rich history for sportswear the collection had a loose and easy feel with bucket hat and white sand shoes featuring alongside denim.

In keeping with Kors’s fashion DNA the show was also a celebration of the powerful American women that ‘get the job done’ with tailoring and easy to wear cocktail gowns modelled by a star studded cast of strong females including Giselle Bunchen and Gigi Hadid.

In commercial terms, there was something for all walks of life on offer here. The collection was loaded with potentially fruitful retail opportunities with suiting and cutaway cherry print sweetheart dresses certain to be key money spinners for the brand.

Kors’ fiercely loyal accessory customer was also honoured with shoulder bags in basket weave among the most accessible pieces.

AFP/Getty Images

While no direct reference was made to the significance of the 9/11 anniversary Kors hinted at his distaste for the way his country has evolved in the years since the attack, particularly in regards to immigration.

“Globally we are a community. Everything should be possible for everyone just as it was for my grandmother when she arrived here with $10 dollars in her pocket” he said.

A sweater featuring the word ‘hate’’ with a line crossed through it seemed to confirm this point of view.

Kors is among a group of designers who are reported to have canceled plans to stage their fashion week shows in Manhattan’s controversial Shed complex in Hudson Yard because of its links to Trump supporter and real estate tycoon Stephen M Ross.

Rag & Bone and Prabal Gurung are among the other established brands to sever the ties with the venue in the run up to fashion week.

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