There seems to be a new ease blowing through New York fashion for spring 2026, as designers play into the relaxed vibe of classic American sportswear and a sense of escapism. Among them is Michael Kors, who returned to Manhattan’s Terminal Warehouse on Thursday morning and visually transported guests from his New York City apartment mindset of fall to his beach house for spring.
“I’m the first person to admit that Lance [Le Pere, his husband] and I are travel-addicted. Particularly lately, when I think the world is very upside down, very frenetic. I think Mrs. [Diana] Vreeland was smart, the eye has to travel,” Kors said ahead of the show. The duo’s summer of unplugging, resetting and becoming inspired was spent from Norway to South Africa and California to Marrakech.
Kors cited Sicily as inspiration for the collection’s rusticity and sunrise-to-sunset hues and natural tones, also seen in Greece or Big Sur. But the collection wasn’t necessarily about one particular place, rather about the yin-yang balance of natural beauty and the indulgence of fashion. Here, taking stiff structures out of natural suit jackets to evoke the ease of a cardigan; working with leather to create the collection’s chunky jewelry, and adding artisanal fringes to travel-friendly handbags and wardrobing for his women in movement struck that balance.
“The show and this collection are very much laid-back, but it’s elegant. It’s sensual, not shrink-wrap sexy. You’ll see it in the casting, it’s women of all ages, women of all sizes, and a word that no one ever uses anymore: sophisticated. It’s not a dirty word,” Kors explained, pointing out ample elevated, drapey matching sets with fluid skirt and voluminous pant sets and shimmering hand-done paillette dresses with sheer “veiled” overlays in lieu of body-gown gowns.
His mindset was transporting Marrakech to Manhattan, Bali to Brooklyn, or perhaps Polynesia to Paris, resulting in a cohesive collection of urban glamour for city life and beyond, which translated strongly on the runway.
Nods to photographs of Peter Beard and Lauren Hutton on the beach came through new pareo and caftan dressing, as well as simplistic ribbed tanks and bodysuits. Liquid draping was also key, as seen through fabulous ballooning harem pants — already a budding trend this season; fluid white shirting, and breezy cocooning chiffon-wool two-piece sets that transitioned seamlessly from elegant occasions to casual looks when paired separately with a T-shirt or jeans.
Kors’ client is the global woman of all ages and sizes whom he cares deeply about, reflected through his model cast; star-studded front row, including the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Ariana DeBose, Olivia Wilde, Suki Waterhouse, Jane Krakowski and Leslie Bibb, and loyal customers taking note of what they’ll purchase this season. They certainly have ample options of laid-back glamour and sophisticated ease to choose from.