Decades of style

For the past forty years, Michael Kors has been the arbiter of contemporary Americana. Closer home, Ruchika Sachdeva’s Bodice has spent the last ten years exploring modern Indian fashion. We take a look at these two labels and their milestone moments

- Lynn Yaeger, Shalini Shah

MICHAEL KORS

His brand of laid-back American chic made Michael Kors a billionaire, but his story began in the city that never sleeps, says Lynn Yaeger

I thought New York was Oz,” Michael Kors says of the city where he made his reputation, the place that gave birth to his enormous success, the town that he loves fiercely. This is the 40th year that Kors has been at the helm of his eponymous business, an enterprise built on his light-hearted reverence for meticulous, classic American clothes, an empire that now comprises clothing for men and women, shoes, handbags, watches, jewellery, eyewear, perfume and more.

The designer is at this point a billionaire, the recipient of countless honours, known to millions for his role as a judge on Project Runway and his charitable work in the fight to end hunger. And though his is a quintessential American story—really, a New York story—the rest of the world has embraced his vision (he now boasts more than 800 shops internationally). As it turns out, the longing for the perfect turtleneck, a beautifully cut trouser, a classic coat with just a soupçon of transgressive wit, is universal.