If you missed it I’m here to put it in print, THERE IS A MICHAEL KORS BOUTIQUE IN LENOX MALL! Last year Lenox Square Mall welcomed Michael Kors into its family.  There is a great energy when simply walking by the store.  I have yet to realize if it’s the yummy colored accessories or the sweet sales people inside the shop that encourages one to enter.

Kors is known to many as the former Creative Director of the house of Celine, during his time with the French fashion house he revolutionized its accessory line and created amazing collections for them.  To others he is famous for being one of the judges on Emmy nominated reality show Project Runway, and there he is always armed with a witty comment waiting on the aspiring designers.  To fashionistas all over he is known as the man who gave us luxury sportswear. Entering the world of fashion at the young age of 19, Kors proved to be a force to be reckoned with.  In 1981 he launched his first women’s wear collection under his own label and has been working ever since.  In an industry where longevity is not a guarantee and a somewhat unrealistic goal Michael Kors has been able to consistently bring us fashion that counts.  He is showing us how to be a lot without being too much and over the top.  Although there is something fundamentally “New York” about Michael Kors, he is a designer that fits in every scenario and every location, even here in the Atl.  There is a piece for everyone in his collections and the sense of freshness and ease that comes with his clothes is undisputable.

In grad school I was once told that marketing was a brands external face and for that reason a solid marketing plan was imperative for the success and future of an entire organization.  The art of communication is not one to be looked upon lightly.  In fashion this is what allows a designer to be embraced by the consumer.  Along with beautiful pieces there must be a promise made, it could be a promise of hope, or confidence, or power, maybe even conservatism or dignity.  In Michael Kors our promise is tasteful luxury along with jet setting all over the world.  It could be dinner along the Dubai Marina, yachting in Saint Tropez, scuba diving in the mighty Red Sea by the great city of Masawa or a long walk with someone incredibly beautiful on the Brooklyn Bridge.  There is a promise made of an effortless and chic lifestyle and this is one of the ingredients as to why we keep falling in love with Mr. Kors.  Just as a painter Kors tells a story with his collections, nothing too complicated or too serious but just enough to keep us dreaming and wanting more.  I believe that this is one of the key ingredients to his success.
For the Spring/Summer collection Kors is going for optimism saluting the colors of the great American flag.  This is a happy collection and with a troublesome economy it is highly appropriate and much needed.  The pieces are extremely wearable and very flattering.  I will give a personal wink to the high waisted 50’s inspired bikini which is fabulous beyond belief and totally something I would compromise a meal for (if that’s what it would take).

Michael Kors has built an empire based on simplistic luxury.  His name has become synonymous with the art of grand jet-setting that could put some of Europe’s royals to shame.  He has established himself as a pioneer in chic sportswear design, adding luxe to good-ol American fashion.  This fusion was not only a stroke of genius but also a very necessary direction for American style.  Having solidified itself as an important fashion house the empire of Michael Kors has grown into a full fledged fashion platoon armed with clothing for him and her, timepieces, shoes and handbags that would make any fashionista salivate, as well as enabling college girls to trade in book money for some MK arm candy (or is that something only I would do?).

Someone once said that one of the highest honors is being recognized by your peers and in June of 1999 Kors was honored with the most prestigious award in the fashion industry.  The CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) awarded Kors women’s wear designer of the year, followed by the same award for men’s wear in 2003.

So what is it that makes people tick when it comes to this particular brand?  If you ask me Kors has captured the essence of simple luxury.  Even though there is nothing kitschy or too loud about his collections, the Michael Kors man or woman are not anonymous, on the contrary when entering a room they portray American fashion at its finest.

Viktorya Asmëret Abraham