Michael Kors Is the True Diva of New York Fashion Week With His 45th Anniversary Show

The 45th anniversary of a classic New York brand is a cultural moment. So what better venue for Michael Kors to honor such an achievement than at the landmark of culture that is Lincoln Center? On Thursday night, under the sparkling chandeliers and alongside Chagall’s murals, Michael Kors presented his fall 2026 collection at the Metropolitan Opera House. It was a celebration of fashion, glamour, and New York City itself.

His 40th anniversary show (held mid-pandemic on the street outside the Shubert Theater) featured a who’s who of famous models from both the ’90s and today. This time around, Kors let the clothing speak for itself, selecting only Christy Turlington as the famous face to lead the band of models down the red carpeted catwalk (though Alex Consani, Amelia Gray, and Paloma Elsesser also offered their time to the cause). The rest of the stars—including Uma Thurman, Rachel Zegler, Gabrielle Union-Wade, and Dakota Fanning—took their places in the front row.

Spanning two floors of the opera house, the collection that followed was quintessential Kors. There was tailoring in the form of crisp blazers and well-cut coats of tweed and flannel. This time, however, they were paired with moments of fluidity. One blazer topped mullet trousers, which were revealed to be a long skirt finished with a train in the back. Not to be outdone by the chandeliers, paillettes sparkled alongside ostrich feathers on button-downs and pleated pants, like the pair Turlington wore as she closed the show.

The styling, done by Carlos Nazario, helped create the New York fantasy. Turtleneck dickeys allowed for layering with ease, and a raspberry silk bag brought color to an all-black tuxedo-inspired look.

“When I think about New York, I think about reinvention and things that can be reimagined,” Kors said in the show notes. “This is the grittiest, toughest place in the world, but it can also be the most glamorous, magical place in the world, and that juxtaposition is what makes people interesting, places interesting, and fashion interesting.” These contradictions were at play throughout the collection. A top that bloomed with plumes was balanced out by a tweed trouser skirt; black sequined opera pants took center stage with a simple white tank top. It was an ode to the statement piece, a chesterfield coat—also feather-adorned—thrown over black pants.

The designer once again proved his ability to understand and dress the New York woman. He toed the line between drama and simplicity, and every character of the city was present. The bookish one—in her wool cashmere asymmetric blazer and matching skirt, complete with glasses and a top-handle bag—could have been rushing to the office. Her friend, in a hand-beaded ruby gown, felt right at home in the theater, ready to head upstairs for a night of arias. Any of these ladies could have walked off the runway and into the afterparty that followed at P.J. Clarke’s. There, Rufus Wainwright entertained the guests as they nibbled on cheeseburgers, while Kors toasted to 45 (and many more!).