The show was staged across two floors of New York’s famed Metropolitan Opera House, which provided a dramatic backdrop for a collection Kors describes as “a symphony of style.”
Since its inception in New York in 1981, no other brand has defined the “jet-set” lifestyle quite like Michael Kors. The iconic designer made women look “first-class” without looking overdressed. He masterfully blended European glamour with American sportswear and accessories into travel status staples.
Kors further solidified the house’s signature savoir-faire through its Fall/Winter 2026 collection, which was unveiled during New York Fashion Week to mark the brand’s 45th anniversary. Pandemic restrictions robbed the designer of his 40th anniversary festivities, so he made sure to celebrate this 45-year milestone in spectacular fashion.
He staged the show across two floors of New York’s famed Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center, where its gold ceiling and shimmering chandeliers provided a dramatic backdrop for a collection he describes as “a symphony of style.”
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Kors’ collection is rooted in “New York chic,” which reflects his home city’s contrasting character that has “resilience, strength, grit and curiosity” on one side, opulence and splendor—without the fuss—on the other.
These concepts came together smoothly in the collection comprising of tailored suits, wool coats, cashmere sweater dresses, and monochromatic outerwear paired with feathered bags.
Kors’ signature tailoring took on a newfound fluidity, as seen in the gray trousers reimagined as a skirt with a sweeping train, while a tropical wool blazer was softened on one side with an elongated bias-cut panel. The look was styled with his iconic black turtleneck — revealed to be a dickie — designed to achieve “layering without the bulk.”
Feathers and paillettes made an appearance, of course, but rather than embellishing slinky jersey gowns, they were applied to T-shirts, crisp button-downs, and sharply pleated trousers. His talent for balancing high and low — blending opulence with everyday ease in a single look — remains arguably his most defining contribution to fashion.
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Looking back on 45 years in the industry, Kors noted that black turtlenecks, camel coats, and white shirts have been his most reliable staples — “and and maybe black dresses. It would be a battle royale between that foursome,” added. Each of those signatures was represented in the collection.
Besides his trousers-turned-skirt with a sweeping trail, other standout looks include monochromatic black and red gowns embellished with hand-cut 3D florals and finished with built-in stoles — ideal for the Kors woman intent on making a dazzling, show-stopping entrance every time. Also featured was a stunning hand-embroidered skirt awash in dimensional pink and red florals, alongside coats and new-season tops embellished with paillettes and feathers.
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“In an urban situation where we do live in gray, black, neutral, those shades of red and pink and wine just sum up the perfect exclamation point,” Kors said of his Irving Penn-inspired palette.
Model Christy Turlington, who starred in Kors’ first campaign, closed the show with a billowing, black top that had the ease of a T-shirt with elegance for nights on the town, worn with microscopic paillette-adorned silk georgette trousers.
Turlington’s appearance at the show’s finale was no coincidence, but rather a thoughtfully orchestrated decision by Kors. He explained, “It’s not just her beauty, it’s the way she lives her life, it’s her style, it’s her compassion for other people. She’s a wonderful mom. And for me to revisit this relationship after all this time and have Christy Turlington closing my 45th‑anniversary show—it’s really my kind of woman, in my kind of setting, in my kind of town.”
Watch the full Michael Kors Fall/2026 show below:
