Michael Kors Proves Just How Much There Is To Love About New York City
For spring 2027, the designer presented a showing full of optimism—mixed with references to Modernist art.
This morning, a season after his 45th anniversary show at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, Michael Kors took over the sculpture garden at the Museum of Modern Art giving us yet another quintessential and deeply New York setting for his spring 2027 offering. The collection nods directly to the works that the institution champions. “The fine art of fashion” was the theme, and it was very visible from the first looks. Pop-infused abstract expressionism showed up in a floral appliqué coat, ballooning midi-skirt, and sleeveless tulip-shape dress. Minimalist color-blocking was a constant. A pop art color story gave the garments a bright midcentury appeal. This is a showing full of optimism and smart, fresh American sportswear classics mixed with references to the Modernist art on which Kors was raised. He skipped his senior prom to visit the Warhol-frequented Studio 54 at just 17 years old; decades on, he’s here to remind us that there’s much to love about New York (especially in the Mayor Mamdani era).
The show began with crisp black separates—garments perfect for the office but also fit for a woman in charge of any setting. A blazer with a single button at the breast was paired with street-ready capris. Asymmetric dresses in primary red, yellow, and yellow and black, followed. Mod, ’60s-influenced silhouettes were a theme. A micro skirt suit with a Peter Pan collar in bright green stole a moment. Thin, black-and-white striped garments brought an element of optical illusion. This is a playful offering; wearable yes, but full of uplifting spirit.
Accessories were a highlight. Sculptural bags held by silver hoops paired well with leather coin purses doubling as layered necklaces. Outsize bauble rings popped up time and again. (Is Kors bringing costume jewelry back?) Beehive-style sunnies made a statement. The makeup is also worth calling out. Faces were clean and incredibly fresh save the odd red lip or neon-yellow eye shadow. These details worked as color-blocking, just like the clothes. As Alex Consani closed the show, Harry Nilsson’s “I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City” echoed through the gardens. There’s a romanticism to Kors’s love of the New York woman and midcentury art, one that comes through in a joyfully practical design language the women of the city—and beyond—embrace.
