Michael Kors
Michael Kors | |
|---|---|
| Born | Karl Anderson Jr. August 9, 1959 Long Island, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Fashion designer, business executive |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Known for | Chief creative officer of Michael Kors brand; former designer at Celine |
Michael David Kors (originally named Karl Anderson Jr. at birth on August 9, 1959) is a prominent American fashion designer and currently holds the position of chief creative officer at his self-titled label, Michael Kors. This brand encompasses a diverse range of products including men's and women's apparel, accessories, timepieces, jewelry, footwear, and fragrances. Between 1997 and 2003, Kors was appointed as the inaugural designer of women's ready-to-wear collections for the prestigious French fashion house Celine. On January 2, 2019, Michael Kors Holdings Limited underwent a rebranding to become Capri Holdings Limited (NYSE: CPRI). Today, Capri Holdings manages three founder-led luxury brands: Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo, and Versace.
Personal life
Born as Karl Anderson Jr. on Long Island, New York, Kors comes from a diverse heritage with his mother, Joan Hamburger, being Jewish and a former model, while his father had Swedish roots. Following his mother's marriage to Bill Kors when he was five years old, his surname changed to Kors and he adopted the first name Michael David Kors. Raised in Merrick, New York, he completed his secondary education at John F. Kennedy High School located on Long Island.
On August 16, 2011, Kors wed his longtime partner Lance Le Pere in Southampton, New York, situated within The Hamptons.
Career
Kors’ enthusiasm for fashion emerged at an early age under the influence of his mother’s modeling background. At just five years old, he redesigned his mother’s wedding gown. During his teenage years, he crafted and sold garments from his parents' basement studio known as the Iron Butterfly.
In 1977, Kors enrolled at the Fashion Institute of Technology but left after nine months to join Lothar's boutique in Midtown Manhattan. There he advanced from sales associate to designer and eventually head of visual merchandising.
Kors debuted his women’s label under the Michael Kors name in 1981 at Bergdorf Goodman. The launch of KORS Michael Kors in 1990 operated under a licensing agreement but was disrupted by a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in 1993 following the collapse of the licensing partner. By 1997, he had introduced a more affordable line and made history as the first designer responsible for women’s ready-to-wear at French fashion house Celine. During this tenure, he revitalized the brand with popular accessories and critically acclaimed ready-to-wear collections. After departing Celine in 2003 to concentrate on his own company, he had already launched a menswear line in 2002.
A wide array of celebrities have donned Kors’ creations including Nicole Kidman, Tiffany Haddish, Reese Witherspoon, Lupita Nyong'o, Olivia Wilde, Blake Lively, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lawrence, Taylor Swift, Kate Middleton, Hillary Clinton, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, Emily Blunt, Kristen Stewart, Ariana DeBose, Vice President Kamala Harris, and former First Lady Michelle Obama. Notably, Michelle Obama chose Kors designs for her official portrait during her first term and for the 2015 State of the Union address.
Significant red carpet moments include Viola Davis’ gown at the Golden Globes, ensembles worn by Kate Hudson and Olivia Wilde at the 2016 Golden Globes, as well as Emily Blunt’s bespoke dress in 2015. While serving as creative director at Celine, Kors also designed costumes for films starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Rene Russo. Additionally, Alicia Keys performed at President Barack Obama’s inaugural ball wearing a gown by Kors.
Kors was a judge on the Emmy-nominated reality television series Project Runway for five seasons before departing in 2012; he later returned as a guest judge in 2016.
As of January 2014, Forbes reported that Kors’ personal net worth surpassed $1 billion. The success of Michael Kors Holdings also contributed to creating billionaires Silas Chou and Lawrence Stroll.
Additional Recognitions
- 2016: Honored with the McGovern-Dole Leadership Award by World Food Program USA, an accolade presented by then-Vice President Joe Biden.
- 2015: Designated as the United Nations World Food Programme's Global Ambassador Against Hunger.
- 2015: God's Love We Deliver dedicated its SoHo facility as the Michael Kors Building to acknowledge his enduring contributions.
- 2013: Featured in The Time 100 list highlighting the most influential global figures; also recognized by the New York Observer among the top 100 Most Influential New Yorkers in fashion and included in Out magazine’s 2014 Power 50.
- 2013: Received the Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion from The Couture Council at The Museum at FIT.
- 2013: Presented Hillary Rodham Clinton with the first-ever Michael Kors Award for Outstanding Community Service.
- 2012: Awarded the Golden Heart Lifetime Achievement Award by God's Love We Deliver, celebrating over twenty years of dedication.
- 2010: Presented with the Oliver R. Grace Award for Distinguished Service in Promoting Cancer Research by the Cancer Research Institute.
- 2010: Became the youngest individual to earn the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award from the CFDA and was also honored with the Fragrance Foundation’s FiFi Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Legal Matters
In January 2009, Kors faced a lawsuit filed by the estate of artist-designer Tony Duquette, accusing him of trademark infringement connected to his resortwear line released that year.
In July 2013, Kors was the second luxury label, following Tiffany & Co., to initiate legal action against Costco over allegations of false advertising, claiming that Costco misrepresented its sales of Michael Kors merchandise.
See also
- LGBT culture in New York City
- List of LGBT people from New York City
- New York Fashion Week
- NYC Pride March