The thing that jumped out from the Michael Kors runway immediately was his diverse cast of models. He had Joan Smalls, Kendall Jenner, Amber Valletta and Ashley Graham all in attendance. Kors boasted that every continent was represented and there were ten mothers in the lineup. He said that the thing that united them was their confidence; very apt considering ‘strength’ was a key element of his collection’s message. This concept is not something that’s unfamiliar to Kors, with his glamazon New York woman as his staple customer, he has explored areas like this before. Given the times in the USA right now, it is a line many designers have chosen to walk during New York Fashion Week. However, Kors wasn’t as cliché in the way he approached the task as some of the others chose to be with harsh masculine tailoring. His tailored pieces were more playful and softer, he infused luxury and sensuality into all the pieces in a celebration of womanliness. Shoulders were rounded, wool trousers hung loose off models hips and skirts were tulip shaped to just give a hint of the leg underneath.
Edie Campbell opened the show in a beautiful camel jacket with splits in the side to give the effect the jacket was being lazily draped off the shoulders. She epitomized tomboy cool chic. On the other end of the spectrum, when Ashley Graham walked the runway, a plus-size model (US size 10), she gave a powerful injection of voluptuous curves. She wore a grey knitted dress with a slit in the thigh cinched at the waist by a belt and layered with a glamorous cropped fur jacket. For the more casual looks, he offered up cosy knitwear in jumpers and thick scarves styled with slouchy boots that oozed elevated comfort and would be perfect for the glamorous jet-setter.
The print Kors used in this seductive range was leopard, perhaps not the most original of choices. There were metallic elements throughout, the most striking being a low-cut gold leopard print shirt dress with a sarong style skirt modelled by Natasha Poly. More subtly, sparkle was used to add texture and shine to highlight a black leopard print on a burgundy dress accessorized with black leather gloves.
However, despite the sensuality of the collection, there wasn’t too much skin on display, Kors being respectful of the modesty of many of his global clientele and letting fringing, draping and the cut of the pieces do all the work. The show finished strongly with Kendall Jenner showcasing a black strapless sequined number with extra-long fringing; Michael Kors never ignores his woman’s need for a party dress.
To watch our live stream of the Michael Kors show click here
