Michael Kors’ style and wearability attract starry crowd at his New York Fashion Week show
Michael Kors feels loose as he brought his love of nature to urban New York City, for a celebrity-heavy Spring/Summer 2026 show at New York Fashion Week on Thursday.
The iconic designer likes to make his guests comfortable in his clothes and at his shows, so he turns an empty warehouse space into a cozy room inspired by his beach house—lit by giant paper lanterns, with wood paneling and side tables filled with ceramic vases and succulent plants.
The front row buzzes as stars like Gwyneth Paltrow, Olivia Wilde, Leslie Bibb, Ariana DeBose, and Suki Waterhouse chat before the show.
Kors calls the collection “earthly elegance,” and says he was inspired by recent trips to tropical destinations where they know how to deal with the weather.
“How do you take those lessons, whether it’s, you know, pareos and sarongs from Bali and Polynesia, how do you bring those to Manhattan?” Kors muses to The Associated Press backstage before the show. “How do you take all these wonderful soft draped trousers you would find in Morocco and how do you make that urban and make that work in a city?”
What’s in Kors’ Spring/Summer 2026 fashion line
All the clothes have a loose feel, starting with oversized button-down silk blouses paired with loose cargo, or wool crepe draped culotte pants. White linen matching sets of skirts and pants look like aspirational yacht-wear. The fabrics are all light and often sheer, lending to the comfort and wearability.
The dominating colors are Kors’ typical black, white, and brown, but with accents of buttery yellow and pink. “There’s a lot of beautiful earth tones, so [there are] gorgeous shades of brown and branch colors, and olive and all of these colors that you would find in nature,” Kors says. “But then, [I] highlighted all of that with beautiful sunset shades of pink that you find in the desert… beautiful yellows that you would find in a gorgeous sunrise.”
Suiting is a must for Kors’ core, and several looks include oversized blazers in wool gaberdine or linen. Some have a softened look with no lapels—some even sleeveless—but others are more classic, with a bikini top underneath for a modern touch.
Shoes are flat sandals or open-toed chunky heels, blending comfort and style. Kors also loves a coat and a brass leather trench with matching metallic purse was a standout moment.
Even the eveningwear have an easy feel, as tank dresses made of hand-embroidered paillettes with sheer bottoms that continued the flowy vibe. Paillette-covered pants are covered in sheer draped jersey, which could be dressed up or down.
Accessories feature extra-long leather tassels dripping off earrings and handbags, and exaggerated leather belts cinching the models’ waists but dangled down.
What the stars say about Kors’ latest fashion line
Actor Olivia Munn says that everything in the collection looked “comfortable and chic. “What I really love is thin fabrics. I feel that thin fabric just hangs on your body so much nicer, and it just feels light and airy and really feminine,” Munn says after the show.
Actor and recording artist Audra McDonald says that she wanted to figure out how to get three of the pieces she saw immediately. “I had Judith Light, and I had Laura Carmichael on the other side of me and we were picking outfits for each other. I like this one, you get that one, you get that one!” she recounts.
Recording artist Kelsea Ballerini calls the show beautiful and wearable and says that she can’t wait to “get her paws” on some of it.
“I loved the silhouettes—it felt very loose and lived in and natural, especially with the color palette. I did love the pop of pink and obviously a little bit of glitter here never hurt anyone,” she says with a smile.
