The Luxe Life
Exclusive video tour: Michael Kors opens third Houston store at Memorial CityMall
Houston appears to figure prominently in Michael Kors' plan to become the worldwide king of fashion. Kors, known for creating luxurious American sportswear and accessories as well as his regular appearances as the acerbic judge on Project Runway, recently opened his third Houston store at Memorial City Mall. (The other two locations are The Galleria and Market Street in The Woodlands.)
Situated in a prime corner of the mall, where two crossroads intersect near the clock tower, the new store is open and airy, with lots of windows, gleaming white marble floors and walls designed with insets to showcase handbags and shoes in many varieties and colors.
The trademark MK logo is everywhere — on the door, the floor leading into the store and on medallions that dot much of the merchandise.
Designed by the company's in-house design team, the store also features clear acrylic nesting tables, zebra benches, polished metal finishes and mirrors that add a modern touch. The design is similar to other new stores that Kors is opening around the United States and the world.
A selection of ready-to-wear clothing from the MICHAEL Michael Kors collection lines one wall, but most of the store is devoted to handbags, shoes, watches and jewelry, with distinctive Hermès-like buckle rings and bracelets, but at a much lower price point.
The popular Hamilton tote with distinctive chain padlock occupies prime space on two walls— in subdued colors of plum and taupe for fall and bolder shades of orange and turquoise for summer (or even longer in the Houston area where bright colors dominate fashion for much of the year).
On the wall overlooking the cash register is a photo of the patron saint of chic fashion, a youthful Jacqueline Kennedy, and a video montage of Kors' latest styles. The trademark MK logo is everywhere — on the door, the floor leading into the store and on medallions that dot much of the merchandise.
Take a video tour of the new store, above, with CultureMap staffer Karen Burd, who is such a fan of the designer that she owns the latest Kors watch and ranks him among her favorites, and me.
A staircase in Gucci's signature Rosso Ancora leads shoppers to the second floor. Photo by Pablo Enriquez for Gucci
Houston Galleria will be one of the first boutiques to open with Gucci’s latest store window concept, Endless Narratives.Photo by Pablo Enriquez for Gucci
