I know. I KNOW. But hear me out, okay?
MICHAEL Michael Kors has a perception problem, especially when it comes to accessories. Selling expensive handbags is always a bit of a paradox; a brand has to sell enough of them to maintain its bottom line and please investors while still making consumers feel like they are buying something that’s at least a little bit rare and aspirational, and once a brand reaches a certain point of critical mass, the only direction for it to go is down. Even when bags are objectively attractive, fashion’s classism rears its ugly head when people of more modest means start to acquire status markers that were once inaccessible to them.
When you combine that with a product mix that’s allowed to get a bit stale, fashion shoppers get very skittish, which is, in my mind, a fair assessment of what’s happened with public perception of MICHAEL Michael Kors bags over the past couple years. The brand hung on to things like logo charms and chunky gold hardware a little too long, and that, combined with the brand’s aspirational-but-not-astronomical price point, made the bags seem like yesterday’s news.
MMK is a huge brand that wants to please its customers, though, so I figured it wouldn’t be long before the brand’s handbag line tightened up and debuted some styles that felt fresh and relevant. Thankfully, I was right, and the Pre-Fall 2016 bags from MICHAEL Michael Kors give me hope for what’s to come. Many of the new styles have ditched the familiar metallic charms and big hardware for a sleeker, cleaner, more modern aesthetic–they’re the kinds of bags that a lot of women would be proud to carry to work, and many of them are even free of the familiar gold-lettered Kors branding.
One thing the new MMK bags do retain, thankfully, is the brand’s accessible price point. Check out some of the best new arrivals below or shop the full lineup via Neiman Marcus. (If you’re an old school Kors fan and want the logos and charms, don’t worry–there’s still a good bit of that going on this season.)
MICHAEL Michael Kors Annalise Messenger Bag
$228 via Neiman Marcus
MICHAEL Michael Kors Bridgette Crossbody Tote
$258 via Neiman Marcus
MICHAEL Michael Kors Hyland Medium Tote
$328 via Neiman Marcus
MICHAEL Michael Kors Jessica Large Satchel
$368 via Neiman Marcus
MICHAEL Michael Kors Jet Set Laser-Cut Crossbody Bag
$198 via Neiman Marcus
MICHAEL Michael Kors Kirby Large Satchel
$348 via Neiman Marcus
MICHAEL Michael Kors Madelyn Convertible Shoulder Bag
$298 via Neiman Marcus
MICHAEL Michael Kors Vivian Woven Tote
$478 via Neiman Marcus
MICHAEL Michael Kors Vivian Woven Tote
$478 via Neiman Marcus
I really like the 4th one.
4, 7, and 8 get my vote
That woven tote is great.
I think you are spot on with how difficult it can be to maintain a brand, and incorporate styles that are available at more accessible price points. I am so happy they’ve freshened up their silhouettes and moved away from the chunky hardware. I hope they’ve also begun to realise that putting in a little extra effort into their craftsmanship will also benefit their company.
Nice bags but go easy on the edge paint please!
The designs are way too reminiscent of the inspirations- Chanel Boy, Celine Box Bag, and even Kate Spade. Same pony with everyone else’s tricks.
I agree! This is what made MK bags popular in the first place, they’re like replicas of higher-end bags…and the bags showcased in this article are not only replicas of higher-end brands but they look COACH-esque also…not that there’s anything wrong with Coach, I’m a huge Coach fan.
Coach has been putting out some gorgeous items as of late! Big fan of the Swagger and Rogue.
So well said. Also the black and white strap bags look so dated. Nope.
Maybe I’m blind in one eye and can’t see out of the other because I don’t see any of the references that you are making in any of the bags. Not defending the brand in the least.
Kate Spade is, at least to me, a whimsical brand. I’ve never gotten whimsy from MMK. That Box Bag is not a new shape, silhouette or design. I remember my grandmother (who’s 85) carrying similar bags to church over 30 years ago. I definitely don’t see Chanel Boy as that’s an edgy bag. Nothing I see screams edgy.
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heres my issue with the Brand …. before i go on the vivian woven tote is actually pretty good looking!!
Balenciaga-loewe-ish but good looking. still my true issue with this Brand is that i just can not understand why they dont add another name to the base line MMK MICHAEL KORS i mean its just as bad as Marc by Marc jacobs. european brands seem to get it right !! eg. See by Chloe or Just Cavalli … the dont calle them Robbie cavalli or marrant izi,but when you keep the desighners name full on. and just add some other confusing detail based on the same name, to me it destroys the true origin of the Brand. and hurts the top end ítems that come from the same designer, RRL or what ever Ralph Laurens.lauren Ralph lauren.,polo Ralph lauren ….names are. AMERICANS have to change this naming of their more affordable baby brands……………… just saying because this is the place to say…. best . Bir.
The Jessica looks like a nice design. But one of my problems with MMK is the quality (or lack thereof) of the leather. I suspect it’s an extremely heavy bag, and that on close inspection the hardware looks and feels cheap.
The Vivian Woven bag doesn’t look bag either. But it does look heavy to me me too especially being woven.
I had MK bag (not anymore), the quality of leather and hardware was pretty good. I have high end brands, so I can compare. But maybe these were good old days.
Slide 2 with the tacky super shiny goldtone hardware probably weighs down the bag tremendously.
Again the team at MK has zero creativity and copies others bags as they always do
is this a paid post because i cannot see one reason why you would praise it
Michael Kors did a very funny thing, they merged the lower end brand to the higher end brand and have one logo, the lower end consumer thinks of Michael Kors as a high end brand and pays a premium but get a poor quality!
Id much rather buy coach or kate spade than MK
You are thinking of Marc Jacobs. Michael has not merged his lower end brand with his higher end brand.
I don’t understand why MK can’t produce interesting brands that aren’t copy cats of what others are doing. You can’t tell me that they can’t hire designers eager to develop a unique style point of view.
I see Gucci in #2, Fendi in #6…Just stop MK. You’re making me weary. You won’t win me over by simply removing the gaudy gold tag. Do something fun and unique.
These are lovely and I know I’m going to add a few of these to my collection. Whatever people may say about MK, the modern designs and accessible prices make it a good brand to buy from.
Maybe I can’t afford Celine or Bottega Veneta but those bags above are pretty enough!
I agree. I know what you say about MK over there in USA but believe me you have worst designers (Rebecca Minkoff do the worst bags ever seen! Proenza Schouler so famous and so bad in accessories, Marc Jacobs their bags are not really “it bags”, Coach getting worst every season), but you always have to say something on MK, which in my opinion is doing every day better and better. I add that we as italians have very refined tastes and we do not trust easily, but MK is doing well here in Italy. They do not pretend to be Chanel, they want to be on the market and sell. And they do it.
Disagree about proenza! Great bags, the ps1 is a bag I see carried around everyday. I have a ps11 and love it, it’s my everyday bag.
Me too. LOVE Proenza.
I respect you, you have your taste it’s ok, but to me the PS1 seems to be a school bag.
Totally agree. It’s an overpriced boring book bag.
Exactly!
Even if MMK decided to put out original designs, the quality is still heinous and it still doesn’t change the fact that in the past, 99% of their bag silhouettes were copied.
I agree. Very nice bags – If only I could pry off the logo and cover the holes…
I love the look of the Vivian Woven bag.
“Even when bags are objectively attractive, fashion’s classism rears its ugly head”…Yep!
Slide 8 is cute but I don’t trust MMK enough to spend money on their bags and discover a few weeks later that what you are toting around is a blatant knockoff. Some of their sandals are cute but it really ends there.
Nope. I just can’t spend money supporting a copycat brand with no original ideas.
My problem with Michael Kors is that whenever I see his bag, his face comes into my mind (project runway killed it). That is to me a big problem bcos it puts me off from buying his bags. I like brands that has designers who are “faceless”. Similarly, Karl lagerfield has his own cheap line of bags but I wouldn’t buy it for the same reason. I know Marc by Marc Jacobs but his name has got no face in my mind. So the bags and designs will speak to me first. It like how I will not buy Kendall + Kylie collection bcos I know their faces and simply cannot identify or agree with their lifestyles.
I like the 1 & 5.
I see Alaia as well…..
Ugh, not impressed. I feel COACH is offering more innovative and visually-appealing items.
For the price range they are great bags. MMK is not interested in converting IT bag carriers to their brand but have succeeded in creating a new pool of bag fashionistas who are new entrants to the bag designers world. No other brand comes close . It’s called knowing your target market and delighting them.
So true. Once you are able to understand you market and target them to meet their need you will do fine.
Love the first paragraph! Well written! Pretty much sums up luxury goods market and fashion shopping 🙂
Still a no. I do see one bag that isn’t too bad (1/9), but the rest…well, let’s just say that when you manage to make a bag that looks like it’s a halfway copy of Celine Luggage and stick on a pocket that immaculately copies a Furla Metropolis, you know you’re in trouble. All I see are wannabe bags. Mulberry Kite, Coach Rogue…so, still no love for MMK.
I know that’s there’s only so much one can do with designs but MK copies so blatantly that I would never ever consider any MK bag just out of principle. Unbelievable!! No clue on the quality cuz I can’t get past the copying.