Michael Kors Spring 2013

Michael Kors is an America fashion icon.  He was a Parsons School of Design mentor long before his witty/wicked critiques dominated on Project Runway.  His Spring 2013 collection for New York Fashion Week was a textbook lesson in what we were taught in school as classic American sportswear.

As a fashion design student in the 1990's, the Parsons program had a very specific focus on coordinated, marketable sportswear, which was the basis of 7th avenue success. Colors should be paired with patterns that were easy to understand, every separate should be wearable with multiple other options. the school prepared you to be employed with large apparel corporations, and succeeded for the most part.

Michael Kors' spring 2013 had exactly those elements of bright, primary colors, stripes, coordinated separates, easy to understand. this explains his success in the days of 7th avenue and probably why he continues his success. There was a certain mod vibe to it which reminded me of the 1960's advertisements and sketches we studied in fashion history (hence textbook lesson).

Under the Tim Gunn program however, Parsons seemed to produce more innovative designers who were ready to strike out with their own vision. Labels like Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang, Cushie et Ochs never set out to work for the big guys and succeeded. The message though, it certainly doesn't hurt to learn from those big guys.

Photos by David TW Leung