NEW YORK— Elegance, the Michael Kors way for spring, doesn’t mean kid gloves, boning and tight dresses.
The designer had a more “earthy elegance” on his mind for the feminine Michael Kors Collection — a more creative, artistic energy like Georgia O'Keeffe and Elsa Peretti, the Italian model turned jewelry designer.
He sewed fluttery petaled flowers on dresses and offered sheer kicky pleats on dresses in classic red, blue, black and white. Wide black leather belts and grommets along skirts and hems provided strength.
“I wanted to have that balance of the two things, think about things that were in fact very soft and romantic and feminine, but take them down-to-earth and make them work in a modern way,” Kors said in an interview.
“It’s all about things that move with the wind, and juxtapose all of that with sort of borrowed from the boys kind of tailoring that feels easy,” he said.
Hence his ruffles, slits and slashes to catch the breeze.
It hasn’t been an easy year for the lovable Kors. His competition is amped up, discounting is deep and his stock was down. How is he holding up?
“I’m an optimistic guy, you know? I think that’s how I approach fashion. I still believe that when people put the right thing on it changes them,” Kors said. “It changes your spirit, it changes your step. I’ve seen a woman try on a dress and suddenly stand up straight.”
He acknowledges fashion is fast and furious now and customers are shopping lots of different ways.
“I think we’re all adjusting to the fact that it is a new world,” Kors said.
At New York Fashion Week, he likely took comfort in one of his favorite show venues, a long, white, sun-drenched space downtown.
