Michael Kors Celebrated 40 Years with Naomi Watts and Lizzie Tisch

Back in April, Michael Kors kicked off his 40th-anniversary celebrations with a runway show spectacular staged in the middle of Times Square. And while at the time, Kors was eager to debut his latest collectsion with a front row, the pandemic required an audience-less show. So to make it for it, on Friday night, Kors gathered his friends, family, and fashion folk for an intimate summer dinner party out east in honor of his two-decade career. 

“I’m a Broadway and a beach baby,” Kors laughed. “So, tonight was the perfect bookend to my 40th-anniversary celebration.” Smiling from ear to ear, Kors enjoyed reuniting with the very people that have shaped and supported him from the start, including his longtime muse and co-host for the evening, Naomi Watts. 

“Every moment shared with Michael is always a special one,” Watts smiled. “I just love who he is and we have not just fashion in common, but he is also a theater fanatic, a performer, and storyteller himself.” 

Alongside Watts, Lizzie Tisch co-hosted the evening in a divine tuxedo number from Kors’ fall 2021 collectsion and her Bridgehampton home. Guests included Aerin Lauder, Inez van Lamsweerde, Vinoodh Matadin, Christie Brinkley, Derek Blasberg, Neil Patrick Harris, Gucci Westman, and Rachel Zoe. Most everyone, naturally, wore Michael Kors. Upon arrival, cocktails and glasses of Champagne were served with dainty watermelon cubes topped with feta and finished with fresh mint were passed and paired with colorful, summer spring rolls. 

Tucked away in a private garden illuminated with string lights and fireflies, the dinner party couldn’t have felt more magical. Clusters of vibrant zinnias lined the candlelit tables, which evoked Kors’s effortlessly elegant touch. The summer cuisine served buffet-style included refined classics like cheeseburgers and beef hot dogs loaded up with all the fixings and local, grilled vegetables. Of course, hand-cut french fries were of plenty, and the halibut paired with roasted, sweet tomatoes was a delightful choice. A summer soirée out east wouldn’t be complete without a lobster roll (or two!), which were prepared to perfection on mini brioche buns. 

“It’s always very Michael Kors if it’s laid back, but chic,” Kors explained of evening’s aesthetic. “It’s the yin and yang of things.” 

Crowned the unofficial queen of dessert, Tisch made sure her selection of sweets measured up to the mains. And it did. Summer favorites like strawberry shortcakes, mini ice cream sandwiches, and pies in every fruit flavor all looked too pretty to eat. Eventually, everyone caved and graciously filled their plates to the brim.

As the stars rose in the sky, Kors stood to say a few words. “We all crave unity, seeing one another, putting something fabulous on, and having fun,” Kors explained. “Tonight’s truly a celebration of just that.”