Fab Finds
Michael Kors creates a handbag that a mother could love
Michael Kors' mother, Joan, has always been an important part of his success. Every fashion week, I see her in the lobby of the Algonquin Hotel, where we both stay, and backstage at his show afterwards. I ran into her at Kors' showroom in February when accompanying Tootsies designer buyer Penne Weidig to see what Weidig picks for the store's Houston shoppers. (In a nutshell, she looks for sleek lightweight basics that fit with the Houston climate.)
Joan is always working — looking at tally sheets, helping buyers with selections, acting as a humanizing presence in her son's conglomerate. The two even look alike and have the same mannerisms — there's no doubt they are mother and son.
So it's nice to see that he has designed a handbag with her in mind. The "Joan," introduced just in time for Mother's Day purchase, is a top-handle satchel that's easy to carry (it has a shoulder strap) and holds a lot.
“My mother travels constantly and loves the idea of a bag that’s both utilitarian and luxurious, so I created the Joan Bag for her. There is no better way to celebrate the woman who has been there since the beginning…so this bag is a tribute to all mothers,” Michael Kors said in a statement.
Joan Kors noted that her son's design's prowess began when he was 6 years old, helping her redesign her wedding dress, and said she's honored to have the new bag dedicated to her.
The bag, which comes in four colors, three types of leather (soft leather, crocodile-embossed leather or patent leather) and two finishes (shiny rhodium or 18-karat-gold), retails for $368 at the Michael Kors boutique in The Galleria.
It's not the first time Kors has designed something with his mother in mind. The Joan stretch pants with a banded waist retail for $495.