Michael Kors Takes London: An American Fashion Icon’s Guide to the British Capital
To mark the September opening of his new Regent Street flagship, Michael Kors touched down in London, where he and his muse Suki Waterhouse hosted a glittering dinner at his beloved Claridge’s. Anders Christian Madsen stopped by the designer’s suite for a conversation on shopping, style, and the London haunts he cherishes most.
What was your vision for the Regent Street store?
In every city, we crave light and space. When you go into historical buildings in London you want to respect and appreciate them, but open it up as far as the light is concerned. Regent Street is a street where people are in a rush. Maybe you only have a break at lunchtime, or you’re rushing to the theater, so you need to be able to go through the store fairly quickly and get the overview. I like to put the focus on products so you can, in fact, shop pretty quickly. I like spare and simple, but I like warmth. I do think walking into a store that allows you to shop easily but also has some sense of the residential is important. The textures of the store are similar to our homes. I don’t like a clinical space.
REGENT ST FACADE, COURTESY OF MICHAEL KORS
What are your likes and dislikes when it comes to shopping?
I cannot stand someone on my hip as I shop in a store. It drives me bananas. But at the same time, I want someone knowledgeable who is able to help me quickly find something. If I want an opinion, I’ll ask. I’m not thrilled with someone volunteering their opinion… but that’s me! Tell me what the material is. I need all of that. That’s the balance. I love wasted space in a store. To me, that’s fabulous. Unfortunately, rents are so high all over the world that today, there’s not a lot of wasted space. But if you have a substantial changing room, that’s fantastic. Light! When you’re in Bergdorf’s in New York — people fight for those windows where you can actually see out. Why do you want to cover them all?
What’s the perfect store?
I love when people take spaces that were not intended to be retail spaces and turn them into retail spaces. There was a home store called March in San Francisco, which just recently closed. In the front you’d think it’s a normal store, and all of a sudden, you’d walk into the back and you were in a gardening shed…in the middle of the city. It was fantastic because it was transportive. In Tokyo, I always think it’s amazing when you walk down an alley and there’s a little house selling ceramics. Things like that I think are magical.
Are you a big shopper?
I am. I am. Black belt. I have to admit. I’m addicted to things with the initial B: balls, baskets, bags; things that contain beautifully thrill me. We bought a piece of ceramic yesterday: a teapot at J.W. Anderson. Can’t stop. I always love going into Conolly because of the random amazing pieces. It’s the sense of discovery. Buying things online is expedient, but there is something about touching and trying and feeling that’s the ultimate luxury. I certainly shop online but it’s not the same as the rush of the tactile experience. Also, I love a shopping bag. I love the tissue. I love the whole experience.
MICHAEL KORS AND SUKI WATERHOUSE. PHOTOGRAPHY DAVE BENETT @ GETTY
I am a big shopper. I am. Black belt. I have to admit. I’m addicted to things with the initial B: balls, baskets, bags; things that contain beautifully thrill me
MICHAEL KORS
Are you an object shopper? More than clothes?
Yes, because I’m so specific about what I wear. My husband is more of a clothing shopper than I am. He’ll try things. He’s more experimental. He’ll wear anything as long as it’s within his palette.
What’s the most amazing thing you’ve bought recently?
Well, there was an incredible Irving Penn auction at Phillips in New York. I looked online to see what they had. We own quite a few, but everything we own is more recognizably Irving Penn: the Cigarette Series, Morocco, South West. So, at this point, to excite me it’s got to be something I haven’t seen before. I saw this one image online that was a nude but it was sort of abstract. I’d never seen anything like it from Penn. The auction was the next day — and we got it.
What has London meant to you through the decades?
There’s always been these style tribes in London, and for someone who’s a people-watcher like me, there’s no greater place to be. It’s always changing. People experiment. I remember, back in the ‘80s, the insanity of going to World’s End to see what Vivienne [Westwood] looked like — and then going to lunch at San Lorenzo and seeing ladies in their Bellville Sassoon and their hats. London continually surprises that way, which I love. In New York — if I exclude fashion people—the average New Yorker is dressed for speed. They dress for expression when they’re on holiday, not when they’re in New York. It’s just work, work, work. Whereas here, people dress for expression every day, even if they say they’re not interested in fashion, which I think is the coolest thing in the world.
There’s always been these style tribes in London, and for someone who’s a people-watcher like me, there’s no greater place to be. It’s always changing. People experiment.
MICHAEL KORS
You’ve used Suki Waterhouse in your campaigns. Does she embody the London spirit?
Listen, I love a juggler. I love people who can literally go from LA to London for dinner and don’t miss a beat. She’s one of those people who makes it look easy when it’s not. She’s a performer, she’s a writer, she’s an actress, she loves fashion. She’s a mom, she’s a traveler, she’s endlessly curious — and she’s funny. All of that together, and to make it look easy when it’s not — that’s the greatest thing in London. To me, that’s always been the interesting mark of style. Some people like the idea of people who look very studied and lacquered. I appreciate the work and effort that goes into that, but I appreciate that sometimes it takes more to look thrown-together. I also think she’s ageless.
MICHAEL KORS FW25 CAMPAIGN FEATURING SUKI WATERHOUSE
Do people wear your clothes differently here?
Definitely. People are far more eclectic here in how they put things together. Americans are either so casual that you’re like, wait a minute, you’re not at the gym. Or they’re so turned-out and polished that you’re like, you know what, you might let it look a little more lived-in. People here put their own spin on it, whoever they might be. If I can see anything worn differently than how I showed it — then I’ve done my job well.
In this globalized culture, do we still wear things differently around the world?
Absolutely. Now, even if you don’t travel the way that I do, people travel on their phone. So, it depends who you follow: how would someone in Tokyo wear it versus someone in Paris versus someone in New York or Chicago? I think people are sampling here and there, finding that whole conglomeration of things and influences. But my favorite thing is when people say they’re not interested in fashion. I’m like, well, you still made a choice. Why are you wearing that? You still picked it for a reason. Of course, if you’re in fashion you don’t count, or if you’re in LA and you have a stylist. Someone who does it on their own — that’s what’s intriguing.
You go to the theatre a lot. Are theatre-goers good case studies for fashion?
Unless it’s opening night, people don’t really dress up to go to the theater now. Sometimes in New York — and I’m very casual — I’ll literally be like, oh my god, that person is wearing boxer shorts with shower slides! At least give me a pair of jeans. But usually, when you give people an opportunity to dress for something, they’re excited. When you go to the Lincoln Center there’s the sense of I’m-going-to-dress-for-this-space. There are restaurants in Los Angeles where people think that when they walk through the door, everyone is going to look. Like when you walk into the Wolseley for breakfast in London: who’s there and what are they wearing? And when you go to La Scala in Milan — they’re wearing capes and fabulous things.
Michael Kors shares his London favorites…
Theater
The National. They balance experimental things with those that bring in the crowds, and I love the space.
Restaurant for dinner
Rules. Especially at the holidays. There’s only one in the world. I get the roast beef.
Restaurant for lunch
The River Café. When the weather is good. Ruthie [Rogers] does it for me.
Bar
The American Bar at The Savoy and Comptons Soho. London is the only city that could have the rollicking of a gay pub and, two minutes away, this very chi-chi cocktail bar.
Area for a walk
Portobello Road. I love a Friday there if it’s not raining. I love the characters and the sense of discovery, and how the street always evolves.
Non-fashion store
Dale Rogers — Ammonite in Pimlico. They sell all these natural textures. You’re knocked out by nature in that store.
Museum
The V&A. I’ll go classic.
Hotel
Claridge’s. The toughest thing in the world to do is to honor heritage and history and still make it relevant and modern.
Friend who lives here
All the people I enjoy seeing here are stylish and funny. Humor is everything to me, and I’ve devoted my life to fashion. It’s people like Erin O’Connor, Hamish Bowles, Jasper Conran.
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