"I am the oldest 'young' designer from New York"
- Michael Kors
Karl Andersen Jr. or Michael Kors?
As he proudly says about himself, Michael Kors is a native New Yorker, and his place of origin can reveal a characteristic accent for the Big Apple residents. He was born as Karl Anderson Junior on August 9, 1959, on Long Island.
When his mother, who had been raising him alone, remarried, she decided that Karl should decide what name he wants to bear with his new surname "Kors". Thus, 5-year-old Karl Anderson became Michael David Kors.
As a child, Kors worked as a child model, starring in paper towel and cereal commercials. However, he didn't dream of conquering the red carpets of Hollywood. At least not as a movie star. He eagerly awaited each issue of Vogue. As he admits himself, he absorbed the fashion presented by the magazine.
New York Designer
In 1977, 18-year-old Michael moved to downtown New York and began studying at the dreamed Fashion Institute of Technology. After only two semesters, America's beloved designer realized that fashion is not only a school but also a fantastic city where he could live and work. "I had the chance to observe the ever-changing displays at Bergdorf Goodman," he said in an interview for Vogue magazine. After a year of studying, he received an offer to sell his collection in the exclusive French store, Lothar's Boutique. Shortly after, Kors's contacts led him to buyers for the most important department store of those times on Manhattan - Bergdorf Goodman. His collection sold so well that just a few years after starting his career, his clothes were available in the biggest designer clothing centers in NYC.
Project Runway and the glory of fame
In 1981, thanks to lucrative contracts, Michael Kors could afford to launch his brand: Michael Kors Women's Collection, although his debut on the catwalk took place only three years later. Michael Kors made his way to the top of fashion, thanks to his charisma and sales skills. At the age of 23, he convinced Anna Wintour to personally review his collection.
In 1990, the KORS Michael Kors brand hit the market. Despite the success and talent of the designer, he had to declare bankruptcy in 1993 and stop working on the KORS line.
Four years later, the designer managed to regain his former position. Securing his interests, Kors accepted a collaboration offer from the French brand Celine, which, thanks to his fresh outlook and unprecedented fashion genius, gained a completely new dimension and shine. No wonder that by 1999, Kors became the creative director of Celine, and the owners of the company invested in his business.
In 2004, Kors made another key decision in his biography - he joined the jury of the new reality show Project Runway, hosted by model Heidi Klum.
Initially skeptical about taking this step, Kors became a star of the program, and viewers fell in love with his uncompromising criticism of new designers.
Michael Kors stayed on the show until 2012.
Michael Kors' Style
Since 2004, Michael Kors has fully dedicated himself to creating a brand under his own name. The popular television program aimed at a broad audience was extremely helpful in this. Gaining a new fashion market, Kors went for it by creating a new line of clothing, MICHAEL Michael Kors, available for people with a smaller budget.
How best to describe the style of Michael Kors collections? Jackie Kennedy Onassis during a walk around New York. The beloved first lady of America is an eternal muse for the designer, just like the style of the Big Apple, which has been inspiring and fascinating Kors for years.
His collections are a combination of classic with a touch of modernity. Kors doesn't blindly follow trends, remaining loyal to his ideals and ... clients from Saks Fifth Avenue. The designer has been repeatedly awarded by the CFDA – including in 2010, when he received the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award as the youngest in history to receive this title.
