Michael Kors’ 45th Anniversary Campaign With Broadway and Ballet Stars

In celebration of its 45th anniversary, Michael Kors is featuring six showstoppers in its fall Collection campaign.

Misty Copeland, Sutton Foster, Judith Light, Audra McDonald, Lea Michele and Kara Young were all photographed by Dutch duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, with movement direction by Stephen Galloway and styled by Carlos Nazario.

“In celebration of my 45th anniversary, which was shown at the legendary Opera House at New York’s Lincoln Center, I wanted to shine a spotlight on the most remarkable showstoppers, women who simply know how to stop you in your tracks and captivate you,” said Michael Kors. “This collection is a celebration of streamlined big city glamour. It channels the feeling of walking into any room and knowing that you own it. And who better to epitomize that than these showstopping performers? I’ve been captivated by the power of performance since I saw my first Broadway show with the legendary Ethel Merman at the age of 5. The thrill of seeing a magical performance live is something that cannot be replicated.”

The campaign was photographed on set in New York City. It spotlights the talents and personalities of these performers, wearing designs from the fall 2026 Collection. The theme for the season, “New York Chic,” focuses on dramatic simplicity and the idea of making a chic entrance. The graphic black-and-white portraits bring out the personality and talent of all the subjects.

Asked how he selected these six particular celebrities, Kors told WWD, “I was looking for women who are showstoppers, who have the ability to just captivate you from the moment they’re in your presence. And then we also wanted to shine a spotlight on women who have really been a part of the New York live performance scene for years now, who have rallied for the community, and certainly left their mark on it. There’s a camaraderie in this community that’s astounding.”

He said it wasn’t hard to narrow it down. “We focused on Broadway and stage icons who have been friends of the brand for a long time, so it was a very natural outreach. These are women who have supported my brand, and whom I have supported, for years. We started with Broadway, because everyone knows I’m a theater fanatic, and then after taking Misty Copeland to the Met Gala this year, we knew we had to add her to the mix. After all, dance is another iconic New York art form,” said Kors.

Further, Kors felt each celebrity would have no trouble bringing the fall collection to life.

“I have been an admirer of all these women for a long time now, some I’m even lucky enough to call friends. I am enamored by women who can walk onto the stage and into our hearts and capture our imagination from the moment we see them. This group of women was a great representation of talent that runs the gamut from drama to comedy, from ballet to showstopping voices. I loved being able to highlight all the different talents that these women represented. And I knew they would bring the clothes to life in the same way they bring an entire audience to life night after night. To be able to capture remarkable women like these, to spotlight their talent and everything the stage has meant to me over the decades, it was the best way to celebrate my 45th anniversary,” said Kors.

Describing the energy on the set, Kors said everyone arrived individually to the shoot. “We had the call times staggered so they did run into each other, and it was really amazing to see these strong, driven, talented individuals come together. There is a real feeling of community and sisterhood amongst them all. And then the set was very alive. The music was on full blast, we had the remarkable Inez and Vinoodh behind the camera and Stephen Galloway there for movement direction. It was an incredible way to mark this milestone moment,” said Kors.

The fall 2026 Collection highlights delicate draping, fluid layers, impeccable tailoring and modern twists on classic silhouettes, from a crepe jersey gown covered in hand-embroidered plumes to a wool flannel cascade blazer and matching pleated trouser. It also features sleek handbags, paired with shoes designed for a city life on the go, along with entrance-making outerwear.

In further celebration of the spirit of New York, a donation will be made in each of the names of the campaign’s stars to Broadway Cares, one of the nation’s leading industry-based, nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations that helps people across the country receive life-saving medications, health care, nutritious meals, counseling and emergency financial assistance.

The global campaign will appear on social media platforms this month, while print ads will run in select fall issues. The celebrities will also be posting on their social channels.

As reported, Capri Holdings, parent company of Michael Kors, released its first-quarter financial results last week, which pointed to elevated brand storytelling at Kors.

“We are encouraged by our first-quarter results, which exceeded our expectations and demonstrated the progress we are making to build a stronger and more profitable business. Our strategic initiatives across both Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo are driving deeper consumer engagement through enhanced brand storytelling and compelling product innovation,” said John D. Idol, chairman and chief executive officer of Capri.

Michael Kors’ first-quarter revenues of $590 million decreased 7.1 percent compared to a year ago.

“At Michael Kors certain headwinds including lower-than-anticipated inventory levels in the second quarter, softer trends in EMEA and updated foreign currency exchange rate assumptions are impacting our revenue outlook,” said Idol.

For the fiscal-year 2027 outlook, Capri expects total revenue at Michael Kors to be approximately $2.8 billion.