By Jessica Ye (Jessica Yap)
What do you get when six women who know a thing or two about commanding a stage put on Michael Kors Collection?
A whole lot of glamour.
To mark its 45th anniversary, Michael Kors has brought together six familiar faces from ballet, opera and Broadway for its latest campaign, photographed in New York City by Dutch photography duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.
The line-up is quite the cast.
Misty Copeland, Sutton Foster, Judith Light, Audra McDonald, Lea Michele and Kara Young each bring their own kind of star power to the campaign, dressed in pieces from the Fall/Winter 2026 collection, aptly themed New York Chic.
With movement direction by Stephen Galloway and styling by Carlos Nazario, the shoot is less about simply standing around in beautiful clothes and more about capturing the women doing what they do best: taking over a room.
And that is exactly what Michael Kors had in mind.
“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,” says Michael Kors.
The designer’s love for live performance also runs deep. He recalls seeing his first Broadway show with the legendary Ethel Merman when he was just five years old, an experience that stayed with him and continues to influence the way he sees fashion and performance.
It makes the choice of campaign stars all the more fitting.
The Fall/Winter 2026 collection itself is built around what Kors describes as “streamlined big city glamour”. Think polished silhouettes, a little New York attitude and clothes designed for that moment when you walk into a room and know you look the part.
Audra McDonald, Judith Light, Lea Michele, Kara Young, Misty Copeland and Sutton Foster each interpret that idea in their own way, bringing the clothes to life rather than simply modelling them.
There is also a thoughtful gesture behind the celebration. Michael Kors will make a donation in the name of each campaign star to Broadway Cares, the nonprofit AIDS fundraising organisation that provides support including medication, healthcare, meals, counselling and emergency financial assistance to people across the country.
The 45th anniversary campaign will debut globally across social media this August.
Forty-five years is certainly something to celebrate. And if there is one thing this campaign gets right, it is choosing women who know exactly how to make an entrance.
Featured Images: Audra McDonald and Misty Copeland photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matador | Images: Courtesy of Michael Kors
