Bursting with vivid florals, flirty ruffles and juicy colours, Michael Kors’ spring/summer 2017 collection will make you forget all your troubles.
Bursting with vivid florals, flirty ruffles and juicy colours, Michael Kors’ spring/summer 2017 collection will make you forget all your troubles.
There’s always an air of calm before the Michael Kors show at Spring Studios, a welcome respite from the chaos that is New York Fashion Week. But there was an additional element of surprise at its spring/summer 2017 show last September, with Rufus Wainwright singing Judy Garland’s “Get Happy” while the army of models including Joan Smalls, Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid had a spring in their steps decked out in glamorous summer dresses and tailored jackets.
With celebrities including Sienna Miller and Emily Blunt in attendance, Kors delivered a comprehensive 56-look collection with his signature all-American aesthetic of easy-to-wear clothes in luxurious jacquard, cashmere, chambray and silk georgette in a contrasting palette of juicy pink, green and tangerine mixed with classic navy, brown and sand.
It was hard even for the most jaded of fashion fans not to be delighted with the appearance of flowers on everything from bikinis, bralettes, oversized earrings, clutches and heels. When it came to the clothes, the beauty was in the details, with dresses embellished with beads, sequins and paillettes for a 3D effect. The flowers on the black tulle dress with bias ruffles worn by Bella Hadid took 950 hours to embroider by hand, while Carolyn Murphy closed the show in a dress embellished with more than 30,000 crystals.
“How do you get dressed in the morning and wear something romantic but at the same time feel empowered? Sexy without being naked? This show is really about mixing beautiful tailoring with a lot of feminine, beautiful soft pieces. And that reflects the two sides of a woman’s personality,” the designer said backstage.
And that is the Michael Kors woman, a woman who wants to be comfortable while being flirty and provocative, a woman who wants it all and can have it all. Little surprise then, that the highlights of the collection were those that put a twist on the masculine and feminine, inspired by Katharine Hepburn and Kim Basinger. Belted blazers with strong shoulders contrasted with flowy knee-length floral skirts; slouchy knits worn over extended sleeve, oversized collared shirts; all worn with the Kors shoe of the season—the platform—whether in the form of a sandal, a wedge or an oxford.
A statement piece that definitely caught the eyes of social media influencers (and the favourite look of Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece, who sat front row) was the navy oversized cashmere sweater with “Love” woven across the chest. The best part? It was one of the dozen pieces, including heels, bags, dresses and separates, which customers could buy fresh off the runway.
“My customers want something they can put on right away. That’s what this is—something for now and for later. I think it’s great for people to inject something new into their closet. My customer just wants to fall in love... and when you fall in love, you love the piece and you’re ready to go,” said Kors. “Last season we had a mother and daughter come in to the Madison Avenue boutique right after the show. The teenager had stayed home from school so she could buy something from the runway,” he added.
From the teenager in a floral bra top and slouchy ripped jeans to the 30-something in a sleeveless, belted white vest and the 50-year-old in a chic tea dress, Kors designs glamorous yet simple pieces that allow you to reflect your individual style and personality. The common theme throughout is that the woman who wears Kors is strong, elegant and loves dressing up. “It’s about optimism, it’s about love and it’s about romance. In today’s crazy world, I think that’s all we need.”
