For tastemaker Michael Kors, giving back is always in fashion
Style + Substance
With multiple stores in South Florida, Michael Kors is no stranger to our shores. But the icon of American design is more than a trusted name in global fashion. Known for his upbeat personality, exuberance and uplifting sense of humor as a Project Runway judge, Kors is also a longtime activist, philanthropist and a committed soldier in the battle against hunger worldwide. This year, as he commemorates the 40th anniversary of his brand, he’s celebrating the accomplishment by raising awareness about the causes and charities that matter to him most.
Photo: courtesy Michael Kors
You celebrated your 40th anniversary collection with a fall/winter 2021 show live from Broadway earlier this year and proceeds from the collection went to support The Actors Fund, which benefits theater professionals. Why was that important to you?
I saw my first Broadway play at the age of 5, and my love for the theater has only grown since then. If I wasn’t a designer, I’d be a Broadway producer. The pandemic hit Broadway very hard [so I was] grateful to be able to use my 40th anniversary to support an industry that has brought so much joy and inspiration to the world.
Four decades is a long time. What excites you most about your work these days?
That it’s always changing. That’s what makes fashion both exciting and challenging. No day is ever the same, which means we have to stay on our toes and figure out how to adapt.
You’ve been surrounded by fashion from a very early age. What were your formative years like?
My family has always been fashion- obsessed. My grandfather worked in the textile business, my mother was a model, and my grandmother was a high school principal who never repeated an outfit. Talking about fashion over the dinner table was just part of life. When I was 5 years old, I redesigned my mother’s wedding dress, and when I was 1, I opened a store in my basement, where I sold tie-dye T-shirts and macramé. By then, it was clear I was going to work in fashion.
Photo: courtesy Michael Kors
And what would you say is the secret to your continuous success?
Two things: staying true to my vision and listening to my customers. It’s so important to be empathetic and anticipate what your customers need and want in their closets.
You support a variety of causes, but which one would you say is closest to your heart?
Hunger. In this day and age, no one should go to bed hungry. Hunger is a solvable problem. I’ve been lucky to work with both the United Nations’ World Food Programme and the God’s Love We Deliver organization to provide lifesaving meals to people in need. It’s amazing to see someone’s face light up when you hand them a plate of food. Making a positive impact in someone else’s life is what it’s all about.
God’s Love We Deliver played a big part in your spring/ summer 2022 show. You created a cashmere sweater as an homage to the organization and donated sales proceeds from its sale to this charity. Why does the organization resonate with you so much?
I was thinking about what love means to me and I immediately thought of God’s Love We Deliver. I started working with them in the late 1980s when AIDS was decimating NYC, and the design community in particular. Since then, I’ve seen how they’ve been there for the city during the toughest moments, showing compassion and delivering food to people in need. That simple act of bringing someone a hot plate of food— that’s love to me.
