In his 30-plus years designing, Michael Kors has created an American sportswear empire. His list of accolades and titles goes a mile long (CFDA award winner, former Project Runway judge, etc.), and now you can add a new one to the list: billionaire. Earlier this month, it was announced that Michael Kors Holdings stock shares soared, putting him in the billionaire club with other fashion leaders like Tory Burch, Renzo Rosso, Domenico Dolce, and Steffano Gabbana.
 
He’s come a long way since that infamous meeting with Dawn Mello across the street from Bergdorf Goodman at Lothar’s, where he worked. That would be the moment that served as the launching point of his career, landing his line in Bergdorf’s less than a year later.
 
Kors, the master of sporty-chic, quickly acquired fans like Gywneth Paltrow, Jackie Kennedy, and more recently, First Lady Michelle Obama. But it wasn’t always so sunny—in 1990 he was forced to file for bankruptcy. He had a stint at the helm of Celine before returning all his focus to his namesake line. Since then, he has continued to expand his reach, adding beauty (launched last year) and more recently, he announced plans to expand his menswear label.
 
Before he unveils his newest collection at New York Fashion Week, we wanted to stop and take a minute to pay a proper tribute to the man who can make even the most basic of pieces, like a turtleneck or a trench, look incredibly chic.

Michael Kors’ fall 1991 campaign starring Christy Turlington and the legendary Polly Mellen