Forever Optimist, Always Classic-But-Never-Boring

“Inclusivity in every way! Size, body shape, nationality, age! Fashion is for everyone!” Michael Kors declares when he’s asked what he is saying YES to this fall. Kors has long been known for his conviction that uncynical optimism and unabashed positivity is our All-American birthright. Maybe it’s because, as he has explained, “I grew up surrounded by these tough, ballsy, strong women. They were also adoring women, but they were the kind of women who would argue over what kind of pants you were wearing or the color of your nail polish.” Or maybe it’s because when he started out, he made it his business to talk to women from sea to shining sea: “Traveling to any city to meet my customer,” he recalls. “From Toledo to Omaha, I saw them all.” And what he saw, and loved, were women who wanted to strut around proudly in the classic-but-never-boring styles he is renowned for. This season his creations include a trim checked blazer that laughs at the defunct categories of day versus evening; an abbreviated tuxedo jacket that effortlessly channels the tropes of black tie; and chic camel blanket coats and sleek skirts, meant for a post-modern, 21st-century version of Ali McGraw. Whatever you choose, Kors says his woman should “say YES to a three-way mirror and a good tailor!” And most importantly, “Say no to anything that makes you uncomfortable, or makes you feel like you aren’t being yourself.”