NEW YORK FASHION WEEK: Michael Kors Fall/Winter 2019

In February the iconic American designer, Michael Kors, transformed New York’s Wall Street Ballroom into a 70’s style sanctuary for his Fall/Winter 2019 Collection fashion show. With disco balls galore, the collection really channeled the glamour of the disco-era with with plenty of glitter, feathers, fringes and fur jackets. But even the glitz and glamour couldn’t distract from the fact that this show was a true fashion nightmare…

A sequin and feather combination seemed to be a collection trend. One of the more promising looks was a stunning sequin-covered purple evening gown. With a deep plunge halter neckline, it brought disco-style and elegance into one. It was paired with a small black snakeskin textured purse embellished with a Michael Kors Collection logo and a matching purple feathered garment, perhaps a shawl.

Bella Hadid walked the runway in a black sequin-covered evening jacket style dress. Its hard shoulder shape contrasted well with the soft marabou feathered sleeves. But paired with fishnet tights and black heels, it seems like something you would see in the red-light district, not on a runway.

Photo by JP Yim/Getty Images for Michael Kors

The sequin and feather combination took many forms. There was a loose fitting mini-dress with Studio 54 spread across the front in silver and gold with thick puffed feathered sleeves. This look fully embodies Kors’ 70’s party theme paying tribute to the infamous former New York nightclub. There was also an asymmetrical gown with the same black sequin and feather combination. With one strap shoulder and one sleeved shoulder the dress was one of Kors’ more appealing designs.

Fur was another feature of the show. A cream colored wide-leg jumpsuit appeared twice with the same light colored fur material. The color pallet was not at all aesthetic. One jumpsuit had a purple floral design while the other had a light blue floral design.

Luckily one jumpsuit was mostly hidden by an over-sized fur jacket, but the other was very visible. With a long thick fur scarf, a matching blue cardigan and snakeskin patterned boots, the phrase less is more definitely comes to mind. Layering is common on the runway, but these looks seemed more like they were thrown together in a rush rather than an artistic choice.

Kors definitely focused on jackets in this collection. He said in an interview with Fashion Network, “There are a lot of amazing jackets and coats in the collection. I love when someone wears the most fabulous, glamorous coat or a jacket and they can wear it over jeans or wear it over an evening dress. It finishes you off.”

Another over-sized fur jacket made an appearance in a reddish brown color. While the light colored over-sized jacket hid the vapid cream jumpsuit, the brown jacket hid a metallic mini-dress that could have potentially been one of Kors’ more appealing designs. It was followed by a patchwork style fur jacket that combined neutral colors with the same reddish brown.

Fur makes a statement and has the ability to turn the most simple outfit into something much more glamorous. Think Cruella De Vil for example. She’s may be a fictional character but her fur coat is iconic. Somehow Kors’ seemed to do the exact opposite of that. Cruella De VILE.

Other than those that were covered in sequins and glitter, there were barely any stand out looks in the show. While the 70’s theme was superbly executed, the clothing seemed somewhat lacking. Perhaps in color, or even creativity.

Colored floral patterns on a handful of dresses gave that ‘I borrowed this from my great-aunt’s closet’ vibe. And even some of the sequin designs were downright tacky. Not to mention the extreme overuse of fishnet tights throughout the show that turned some of the more tasteful pieces tasteless.

Overall, Barry Manilow’s performance of ‘Copacabana’ was more exciting than any of the garments in the show. Michael Kors may be the ‘go-to designer for all things American glamour’ (according to Fashionista) but after his show, that statement is definitely in question.

Watch the Runway Show in the video below. Or view Vogue’s photo gallery of the collection here…

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