The return of after-dark dressing with Michael Kors

Michael Kors is as synonymous with Manhattan as the skyscrapers are with its skyline. Born, raised and educated in New York, the designer, renowned for his polished yet practical take on urban dressing, has become a stalwart of the American fashion industry since establishing his namesake label in 1981. It’s perhaps natural, then, as the brand celebrates its 40th birthday, that Kors looked to his favorite city for inspiration for his FW21 collection.

Taking its cues from the bright lights and buzz of Broadway (with the iconic Times Square acting as an al fresco runway), Michael Kors Collection has really dialled up the glamour, with pieces that have been designed to shine a light on the vibrancy of the city’s performing arts scene – something the designer feels makes the city so special. Kors has turned up the voltage on everyday pieces, with trench coats rendered in liquid gold leathers and mini skirts emblazoned with zebra prints. Ever focused on wearability, however, this after-dark luxe was juxtaposed with turtleneck silhouettes and sleek knee boots – ideal for day-to-night dressing, when gallery afternoons seamlessly turn into elegant evening dinners.

This wardrobe mileage is something of a Kors signature – he is as much a master of the precision-cut blazer as he is of the perfect sweater and slinky slip dresses – and it won him the CFDA award for womenswear in 2015. It’s perhaps no surprise that the designer helmed cult French label Celine during the late 1990s, where he blended that quintessential New York minimalism with that quintessentially understated Parisian ease. Such design codes still imbue his clothing today, which has garnered the designer an army of devotees, including Lupita Nyong'o, Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman – the FW21 collection was, in essence, a tribute to such talent.