
NEW KORS OF ACTION
LIKE his fellow judges on “Project Runway,” the hit Bravo reality show premiering its fourth season tonight, Michael Kors is finally making it work. The designer opened his new SoHo store Friday.
“Here I am a New York boy, and we waited 14 stores before we got here,” says Kors. His first NYC effort closed in 2004, and this boutique is the latest in his chain of stores in cities such as Miami, LA and Dallas.
“But I really wanted the right location where you had this extreme mix of people. And Prince Street has a mix like nowhere else. This is a street where you’re going to have a Japanese teenager and a rock star.”
Housed in the space that used to be Jerry’s, the Kors store is a one-stop shop for all his collections, from the runway collection Michael Kors, to KORS Michael Kors and MICHAEL Michael Kors.
“The thing I wanted these stores to project was an extreme of prices – everything from a flip-flop to a crocodile handbag,” says Kors. “Designers talk about the mix of high-low, but we’re really doing it.”
Handbags will go from a mini version of his Astor bag from $150, to a crocodile tote for $16,000. An extensive selection of shoes ranges from the popular Wellington boot with Kors’ high school MK notebook doodle for $98, to a crocodile sandal for $695.
“For me, it’s what makes you look individual. The wrong bag and the wrong shoes kill the whole outfit. In this instance here, the accessory to the accessories are the clothes. ”
He’s not kidding. The store is the reverse of most, with 85 percent of the space devoted to accessories, including his signature aviator sunglasses and watches.
“We’re not about wardrobing here. It’s Friday, 5 o’clock, and I’m going out at 7:30 – is there a cute dress for me to wear? $179. A no-brainer, is what it should be.”
Kors shops in his own stores, and he’s already eyeing a watch he doesn’t have (“only $225!”). He lives only blocks away, so is he planning to stop by?
“I am. But I’m not going to tell anyone who wins ‘Project Runway’ – no matter how many times they ask me.”


