New Designer (to me)

[sirhc]

I know most everyone here talks about suits and dress clothes, but I recently discovered a designer that makes really nice casual clothes. Anyone have any thoughts, or know more, about Michael Kors?

 

[VMan]

Michael Kors has been around for at least a few years now. He recently launched a lower-priced, more conservative line called 'Michael' Michael Kors.

I like some of the pieces from that line, but find them to be quite overpriced given the quality and country of manufacture.

Even some of the Kors mainline pieces are made in China, and other such countries, and retail for quite a bit of money.

Still, many of the designs are quite nice, and wearable.

 

[ken]

I like some of the pieces from that line, but find them to be quite overpriced given the quality and country of manufacture.

Really? I've seen shirts on sale for 30 bucks. I don't own anything by him, but the stuff I've seen at stores seemed reasonably priced (the 'Michael' line, that is).

And I've been seeing his clothes in every fashion spread in every magazine I pick up. Is he the heir to the Ralph Lauren marketing genius?

 

[aybojs]

His main line, "Michael Kors," is actually pretty exhorbitantly priced, somewhere around Purple Label, and perhaps even higher. Personally, I find his clothes insufferably boring and wonder how they command such absurd prices.

Most of his clothing just seems really uninspired without any outstanding quality or edge to it; I'd consider Michael Kors a pricier version of stuff like Zegna Sport, Brioni Sport, etc; in other words, bland clothes for dull middle age men with too much money to spend. Of course, that fits with my (common on this board) opinion that designer/luxury sportswear is perhaps the biggest ripoff in the industry.

 

[VMan]

Quote:

(VersaceMan @ 03 Jan. 2005, 1:26) I like some of the pieces from that line, but find them to be quite overpriced given the quality and country of manufacture.
Really? I've seen shirts on sale for 30 bucks. I don't own anything by him, but the stuff I've seen at stores seemed reasonably priced (the 'Michael' line, that is). And I've been seeing his clothes in every fashion spread in every magazine I pick up. Is he the heir to the Ralph Lauren marketing genius?
Well, you're right, the clothes can be had for quite reasonably on sale. However, at full retail, the quality is not worth the price. Examples are a cotton sweater I saw for $120, a wool blend sweater for $160, cotton dress shirts for $90, etc. These prices are those that one would expect to pay for a brand such as Joseph Abboud - decent fabrics, fairly good construction, nice designs. The fabrics from the 'Michael' line didn't strike me as amazing (one shirt was nice, but had plastic buttons) and the quality seemed along the lines of Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, etc. You're right though, his Michael line is being very heavily marketed, and is available at many, many stores.

 

[KevinR]

He was able to get his stuff on Oprah for a show. The audience was given $500 worth of clothing each. He is going through a marketing whirlwind at the moment.

 

[Trilby]

Very amusing about his appearance on the Oprah show. Michael Kors has been around for a very long time, but apparently she introduced him as her new discovery.

 

[LA Guy]

Boring. His mainline is highly overpriced, and his "Michael" line is generally just awful - American Jackass with a twist. If you want at "Classic American" designer, stick with John Varvatos.

 

[itzamazing]

I wonder what has happened at John Varvatos. He didn't show anything at the last NY Fashion Week and I can't seem to locate any pics of the spring 2005 line. Anyone know?

 

[Shirtmaven]

I am not quite sure why The Money people who backed Tommy years ago, got behind this guy.

The man is a big time queen. Do they really expect straight men to take his fashion advice. We all have our opinions of Carson on Queer Eye. I do not care if a designer is gay or straight. But the perception should at least come off as masculine.

There is nothing exciting about the line at all.

 

[KevinR]

I would say its because he's willing to suck up to every media outlet there is. His clothes really don't break any knew ground. The one thing I don't mind about his clothes, is the fact that his name isn't printed on every available surface. Alot of his shirts really remind of the really bold strips that you saw in the mid to late 80's.

 

[kabert]

DC-area Filene's Basements got a big shipment of Michael Kors clothes 3-4 weeks ago. I think it's the regular line, not the Michael line (though I'm not at all familiar with either) based on the clothing labels which include the entire name. I didn't bother to look at prices, but you can normally expect at least 50% off retail at Filene's, with big subsequent markdowns.