November 16, 2022 • 50 mins
How does a 21-year old designer from suburban New York become the head of an eponymous fashion empire? What does it take to build an iconic and distinctively American brand? Martha talks this week to Michael Kors about tireless work, creative vision, and being a “control freak.” They also dish about their night at the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards, crop tops in the office, where fashion is trending today – and fashion looks neither will forget.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
You know, I don't think you can be a good
designer unless you really care about people and how they live.
From a very young age, Michael cores knew exactly what
he was meant to do fashion. At the age of five,
his mother allowed him to redesign her wedding dress when
she got remarried. At the age of eleven, Michael opened
(00:22):
a boutique and his mother's basement, known for his classic
button modern design. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood,
and even former First Lady Michelle Obama have worn Michael's clothing.
Throughout his career, Michael has been a fierce advocate for
feeding those suffering from hunger. Michael launched his first fashion
line in One at the age of twenty one. In
(00:45):
two thousand and eleven, when his company went public, it
was the biggest US fashion I p O business in history,
and just last year, Michael celebrated his forty year in business,
a true milestone. Michael, it is very great to see
you and welcome to my podcast. I'm thrilled to be here.
Always great to see you. It is so fun and
(01:06):
I mean we saw each other last night to that wow, um,
well you grew up surrounded by fashion, and how did
your family nurture your interests? Funny enough, I think you know,
I'm an only child and I grew up boiled only child. Adults,
let's say indulged. Let's not say spoiled. Let's go with indulge.
(01:30):
But now I think, um, I think when I was really,
when I was young, they kind of brought me along
on the adult conversations. And so many people in my
family were connected to fashion. My mom was modeling, my
grandfather was in the textile business. Um, I had an
uncle who was a manufacturer. So it's sort of this
(01:54):
I don't know. It was a conversation at the table,
you know, and they talked endlessly about why was this
good and that wasn't good? And so you had a
really good introduction to fashion and an education right at her.
So lovely, Well, you redesigned your mom's dress when you
were five years old. What did it look like? What's interesting?
(02:15):
My mom the first marriage, she did not have a
big wedding, and then the second wedding was coming along,
and I think my grandmother wanted a big wedding, and
so my mom's dress, you know, it was the sixties,
so it was The silhouette was on Pierre and very streamlined,
(02:35):
but the dress was covered with zillions of bows. It
had bows, bows, bows and more bows, and that was pretty.
It was a bit overdone. So yeah, a little overdone.
And I think what happened. I think that she was
on her final fitting and it was myself and my
grandmother and my mom. She tried to dress on and
my grandmother said, it's perfect. My mom looked in the
(02:56):
mirror and she looked at me and I said, and
she said, what do you what? What are you making
a face? And I said too many bows. So the
next thing you knew, the tailor came in. They started
snipping off the bows and we ended up with one bow.
And you you made up your mind that that's what
happened to be. I knew and I looked at it.
(03:17):
It just it needed an edit. Well, at eleven, you
opened your first boutique in your home. What did you
sell in that boutique? Well, first off, the name of
the boutique was everything was called the inn Agata da
Vida in Agata Davida, which was this rock and roll
song at the time, and I think I wanted it
to be very sort of woodstock, hippie um. And I
(03:40):
was very crafty. Of course I'm sitting here talking to
you about this. So I had candles that I had made,
leather craft that I had done, copper bracelets. I had
a girl who was crocheting snoods. Um. We had all
of these things. And I said to my mom, I said,
I'm just doing this. She said, as long as they
don't come through the house and they just go to
the basement. Great. And we sold everything in like two days.
(04:04):
It was a big six bet. People love the handcrafted,
the original, and the one of a kind. And the
one of a kind was really and I learned that
at that age. Well, how did the boutique influence the
beginning of the Michael Core's brand. I mean, you learned it.
You must have learned it right there, you got you
got the book. I think you know. For me, it's
(04:26):
it's always going to be the sort of I say,
it's the magic of the tissue rustling. It's the magic
of when you put the right thing on and you
look in the mirror. And at that age I had
already seen my mom and my grandmother and all of
my aunts. I had this like cast of characters, all
these women who I saw the power of fashion and
(04:46):
the power of shopping. Well, what did you like? What
what got you about fashion? I was it? Was it
making pretty things? Was it style? What was it? You know?
In my whole life, this is terrible to say. I've
always kind of done this sort of makeover show in
my mind with strangers, with everyone. I look and I'm like,
(05:06):
maybe if she just shortened that skirt a little, maybe,
if the hair was this maybe. So I think I'm
always thinking about how do you kind of take what
someone is about and make them a better version of themselves.
That's nice, you know that. I never loved this sort
of weird Cinderella, you know, total from I think it's
(05:30):
just be yourself, but be better. Yeah, well I think
you're I think you're right about that. I mean, I
have so many friends who I know I could restyle.
I mean, I should restyle myself to I should restyle
myself because I mean I'm boring. I mean I don't.
Everyone's like Michael, course has stayed looking the same ever
since I met him. He wears these dark aviator glasses.
(05:51):
He wears navy blue or black. Sort of right, Today's
cashmere crew necked twitters and jeans and black sneakers and
a big heavy gold rule X and I'm good. I
could go anywhere. I can go anywhere. You can go anywhere. Yeah.
But um but it's funny. I mean the oftentimes the
(06:11):
designer is the least designed of the of the people.
He dresses well, I have to or she dresses. I
have to say though. When I was young, I mean
growing up, I mean as a kid, as a teenager,
I was trendy. I wore it all. What was the
favorite What was your favorite outfit? Oh? I think probably
(06:32):
the craziest thing. It's Studio fifty four. I wore Harem
pants with a huge belt on my hips, boots, leg warmers,
and big Porsche sunglasses. Boy, I was eighteen years old. Oh,
I think I had like a linen wrap shirt that
had no buttons. I weighed probably thirty pounds then, So
(06:54):
I thought that was pretty good. It looks pretty cool. Yeah.
I only went to Studio fifty four, I see twice
in my life. What what if I missed the life
changing But I missed it. I missed it. It was
I mean, I remember the little scenarios I saw as
I was walking. I went to night where they had
the walls of ice. What was that? What was that
(07:15):
celebrating that night? I remember what those parties. There were
so many amazing crazy and there was smoking going on
upstairs and snorting. It was and it was a wild
you know that I went the first time I went
to you know why I went instead of going to
my high school problem? We went to study. Oh you
did well, that was fun. It was problems are really why? Tom?
(07:35):
It was like going to it better? You know why? Not? So?
Um so you dressed, You dressed cool, you dressed. Then
I think when I went into business, I was just
I realized that I was first off, super busy and
traveling like crazy, and I was spending all my time
thinking about what everyone else should wear. So I just
(07:58):
wanted to simplify the process from my self. Um but
I think back in the eighties, I wore a button
down shirt every day with a blazer and aviator. So
I had like a fifteen year run of that and
then I switched. Well what designers did you follow when
you were growing up and developing your own personal style? Well,
(08:20):
I think you know, coming of age, Uh, the American
designers were of course a big influence, whether it was Halston, Neurrell, Um,
Stephen Burrows. But then Salaurant was just, you know, I
mean truly changed how everyone looked. So for me, I
remember there was a W magazine cover that said plain
(08:42):
and fancy and they had Salaran and Halston, and I
thought that two of them just summed it all up.
Oh and and indeed they did at that time absolutely absolutely, Yeah,
that's quite a quite a duo. And uh, I mean
really potent the and they had the way for you
and other people of your generation to become the greatest
(09:05):
designers for Americans. Well, and now, of course, I think
you know what we perceived of as American Um, the
world really lives, uh with sportswear and with the idea
of comfort and it's fast and mobile. And you know,
we used to have the fantasy that people in Paris
were very formal and well now of course, walk around
(09:26):
Paris and you know, people are casual and on the go.
And I hope a lot of you get to go
to Paris now that travel restrictions are lifted and traveling
is becoming more popular. I just heard that American Express
is doing much much better because of travel. Absolutely nice. Well,
at what age did you go to f I t
Fashion Institute of Technology. I moved into Manhattan when I
(09:51):
was we're suburban kids, two of us. Where'd you grow
up in Long Island? And I moved in when I
was eighteen. Um, I went to the Fashion Institute, and
you know, immediately I was surrounded by people who were
as obsessed with fashion as I was, which was incredible.
And did you study drawing or um? No? I was no.
(10:13):
I actually UM, I signed up for for fashion design. Um.
I was the worst sewer in the world, but a
very proficient sketcher. UM. So I was very very unbalanced
as a student. I ended up. I didn't stay in
school that long because I started working. You worked for
a boutique or yeah, I worked for I worked for
(10:35):
a store, um right off Fifth Avenue uh and fifty seven,
straight across from Bergdorf Goodman called Lothars, and it was
a French company. Um. They were sort of this tide
dyed san trop a bridget Bardot on the back of
a Vespa kind of look. And I started working there
as a salesperson in school and then the next thing
(10:58):
I knew, I was offered the opportunity to design product
for the store. I was, and you know, we had
unbelievable customers. Martha. We I learned everything from the people
who shopped in the store, and I think we were
kind of the gap for the uber rich. But you
did all that high style. Yeah, it was amazing. What
(11:21):
would you consider I and so you you were You've
always been working. I like that about you. Yeah, we
we we like that. We like energetic and hard working
and entrepreneurial people. This is this is what would you
consider your first big break in the fashion world? Well,
(11:42):
I think certainly for me to launch my collection at
Bergdorf Goodman, see the windows go in on Fifth Avenue.
What year was that, you know? I was, I was.
It seems like yesterday for me. Well, I can't decide
if it feels partially, it feels like yesterday in parts.
Part time, I think to myself, that's eons ago. But
(12:05):
but it's eons in in certain respects. But really, I mean,
I mean Microsoft hadn't even started, no, of course, I
mean the world Google hadn't started, you know. It's so
I mean the windows at Burgdors being at Burgdorf's in fact,
the first thing that was written about me. Um was
(12:26):
written by Anna went Tour. Anna went Tour was working
at New York magazine and she picked me as her
fall fashion pick. Oh wow, close friends still close friends,
Burgdorf Sanata. It was a good way to start. Well,
(12:51):
you launched your first fashion line at the age of
twenty one. Looking back, what advice would you give that
young man today? What did you do? Did you do
anything wrong? Or do you think everything was just hunky dory? Well,
I think because we weren't dealing with social media and
we didn't have the sort of rapid kind of crush
(13:15):
and rush that we have today. Um, but I was
always in a rush. I was always, you know, a
little impatience, and you knew how to promote, oh I.
I and I knew how to get out there. That's
what I think Michael and I have been in common.
We know what we knew instinctively how to promote our
good ideas. Absolutely. Um, you know, listen, I was impatient.
(13:36):
You know, I couldn't understand three years and why I
wasn't a household name, you know, I mean that Martha,
you know. But funny enough, I waited for three years
to have an actual fashion show. So what was in
that first fashion show? Can you remember all the different
styles or like, what, well, the coolest thing in that
(13:56):
first fashion show um Iman uh sher models. She was
in the show and we are still close friends all
these years later. And she wore this beautiful chocolate brown
leather pull over, great Kashmir flannel trousers, and this gorgeous
black silk shirt. Sounds perfect for today and you'd you'd
(14:18):
absolutely put it on today. And the funny thing is
when I opened my first store on Madison Avenue, you
were at the store opening wearing a leather shirt. You
had a leather shirt with a lot of pearls. Yes,
oh I remember, and you told me you commented on
my pearls. I liked them. I love the leather and
the pearls. And I think so much of what I
showed in that first show, maybe with a change in
(14:40):
shoulder pads, because back in the eighties we had those
enormous pads. Oh you know, I sort of like shoulder pairs,
even though I have big shoulders. I liked that. I
liked them until they get you know, half and you
look at half back. It sounds too great. But the
movies found you. You you designed the Thomas Crown Fair
clothing for Renee Russo, who was like she was one
(15:04):
of my idols. She was so beautiful in that movie,
like real hot stuff. Um, what did you design for her? Well?
What was interesting? When I was growing up, One of
my favorite fashion movies was The Thomas Crown Affair. The
original was Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, and the clothes
and the sets and the everything, all the locations were amazing.
(15:25):
And I knew Renee and she had never done a
film where the character was meant to be glamorous. And
she called and she said, I'm doing The Thomas Ground
Affair and she said, and we've got to look sophisticated, sleek, sexy,
glamorous all at once. So between Michael Cores and at
the time, I was designing Selene in Paris, so she, oh, yeah,
(15:49):
I forgot. So we were doing both some of my
favorite clothes. Yeah, I mean they were really beautiful, timeless,
luxurious pieces, and and it ended up I would say
probably that of the wardrobe in the film was from,
you know, between Michael Cores and Selene, And after the
(16:10):
movie opened, I think it was really the first movie
where you saw adults being sexy and women. Who was
the male lead? It was I mean they were quite
a remarkable couple. Yeah. Well, over the years, you have
certainly had the opportunity to address many celebrities. Um, it's
(16:34):
hard to ask you who stands out, but you must
have some favorites. Well, I have to say the most
fun moment always for me is the met Ball because
it's not the typical red carpet. You know, you can
break all the rules. So we've you know, we've done
everyone from Shijihadi to j Lo, from Regina King to
(16:55):
Carry Washington, and you always can kind of really bring
out the drama but still be true to yourself as
a designer. It's gotten it's gotten wilder. Oh well, the
first time I you listen, I went years ago and
I think, you know, people wore a simple dress and
off your end. You know. I went two or three
(17:15):
times early on and it was like very stated, and
then it started to get wilder. And then it's started
to get really expensive and an Am clamped down on
who came and who didn't come, and then the clothes though,
got really amped up. It was fun. I have to
say the gidd. The theme that year was camp, and
(17:38):
so Bette Midler came and of course that said to me,
she said, she said, if you want to talk about camp,
let's go for it. But with both of them that year,
that theme really allowed I think myself and all of
the designers to just really have fun. But you like
Halloween too, didn't you do, Bett Midler? Every year Listeners
(17:58):
has a Halloween pready called Hulueen and uh and you
used to judge you still I won for my surfboard
outfit one one year. I was I went as a surfer,
I know, and I a surfer girl, and I wore
a very hot surfer suit, full suit body suit and
(18:22):
I was dragging a twine like a twelve foot surfboard
with me and no cut Taxi would pick me up.
And it was I had to walk like thirty blocks
to the Waldorf Story and my surf look and I was,
I was dripping wet when I got there, but it
was It's always such a funny. And and also the
organization New York Restoration Project, that's the organization that Bits
(18:44):
started that plants trees throughout the five bird Guards incredible
community guards, amazing Greening, New York and uh, and then
then you're you're design You're designing all these incredible clothes.
I remember I was looking at my closet. I have
a closet the attic where I keep all my old clothes,
and looking for my Michael Cores clothing, um and UM.
(19:07):
Clothing change very not too much, um, but from the
broad shoulders and the suits. Then we got into more
dresses than we got into more pants, and then more sportswear. Um.
But then you joined a show, a very popular show
on TV called Project Runway, and that was in two thousand,
I think in four oh four. Now do you think
(19:30):
TV really made a big difference in your career? Well,
I think the funny thing now in retrospect. At the
time when I first did the show, I when I
heard reality television, I all I knew was survivor. I
thought the designers are gonna have to eat bugs or
worms or you know. But then what we saw that
what I thought was so interesting and people fell in
(19:52):
love with, was they saw the alchemy of you start
with nothing an idea, and suddenly you have something. And
as far as me and how people reacted to Michael
Core's I think they got to know me. Yeah, they
think they really had this sort of person. And they
love your advice to the contestants because really that that
(20:13):
really shows that you're a good teacher in addition to
being a fantastic design being able to teach that craft
is hard. And they also got to see my humor. Yes, yes,
I certainly, I certainly could you know, have a zinger
in there, and uh so I think it's funny. I
think what's wonderful about something like Project Runway. It lets
(20:34):
people know how much hard work goes into all of
the things that we wear and we love to wear.
What is today's trend? Is there a trend? I mean,
fashion is always they're always talking about fashion trends. Well,
we ride a roller coaster, you know, we really do.
We ride this roller coaster. So of course, you know,
during the height of the pandemic, you know, my gosh,
(20:56):
people were just like you know, in the house on
zoom and everyone's in shower slides and sweat pants and
track pants. And then suddenly the burst of oh, I'm
going back to work, I'm going to a party. I
can now wear a pair of shoes. I could wear
real shoes. Not just shower slides. UM. We definitely UM.
I think we're certainly seeing people want to get dressed up, um,
(21:19):
whether it's even just to have lunch with a friend
or go back to the office. But the thing that
I think is interesting to see is a new younger
generation loving beautiful tailored clothes again, an impeccable coat, an
impeccable jacket, because for a long time we had this
idea of disposable fast fashion, which to me is just
(21:43):
the worst thing you can do if you're trying to
think sustainably. I had a Tag Sail recently, and I
had I had gone through my clothes, and with a
TV career, you do collect a lot of clothing because
you have to look different every day. And I don't
like I don't like having too many clothes because I
don't like to waste. But I put all my very
(22:05):
good things in a couple of tubs, beautiful silk shirts, Italian, French, American,
and all my designer kind of clothing, the Michael Coeurs
and the Ralphs and the other things and other tubs,
and I put those in a in a house. I
did not want to sell those at my Tag Sail
I put a lot of the more disposable stuff and
other chubs. Well, somehow the chub's all got mixed up.
(22:28):
But I tell you guess what went first? All the
really beautiful designer clothing, My assistants who worked for me,
people who work in the company. And there I see
them now wearing these gorgeous, wonderful today. They look so
good in it. Well, and also it's you know, you
see the difference of something that's beautifully made, um that
(22:51):
that's tailored problem. But I think people instinctively know when
it's beautifully made too, and they want it, but they
can't afford it. Sometimes. Well, now of course they you
know what you're what you did, of course, Uh to
be able to regenerate, um, things that might be in
your closet and regenerate and find something new and move
on and recirculate. It's the greatest thing. So you you
(23:13):
would characterize today's perfect outfit as more tailored. I think
it's just the addition of the tailored piece. I don't
know if it's going to be the eighties back to
head to toe tailoring, because we've had the comfort thing.
So I think now it's maybe this blend, this hybrid
that you wear an impeccably tailored jacket maybe over the
(23:35):
casual things you have in your closet, or instead of
putting on a down jacket, put on a remarkable coat.
So when did you go public? What? What year was
that when you everything happened? Every everything happened. Let's see, Uh,
public was two thousand eleven. Now this is after your
fashion is everywhere. Do you already have your own stores
(23:56):
or we had We had opened many stores at that point,
and we start it expanding around the world. And you
had and you had handbags, We had bags, We had
a footwear, UM, eyeglasses, fragrances, uh, women's and men's clothing UM.
And we really, though I have to say, Martha, we
(24:17):
started seeing that this sort of idea that oh it's
American fashion, that kind of all the borders disappeared and
we saw that suddenly, you know, someone in Jakarta fell
in love with the same piece as someone in Chicago. UM,
so that was really the lightbulb. When did you go public?
(24:38):
Before Ralph Lauren went public, it was Donna Karen, Uh, Donna.
At that point Donna Karen was probably with LVMH, but
she had gone before before and then she went private.
Who do you consider all your contemporaries, Well, we we
kind of like, you know, it's funny. When I was
(24:58):
at Selene, my for season at Selene was Mark Jacob's
first season at Louis Uta. We went the same season,
and we've kind of grown up together. And then you know,
Tom Ford and I are sort of again the same
thing the Americans who were in Europe um, so you
see that. And I don't know if I have any
(25:19):
Michael Corselen, but I do have tom Ford tuxedos from
the original Go Chain, I do. I loved those so much.
I mean, I'm trying to I'm trying to get thin
enough to wear those now. The famous red velvet was, Oh,
I know, I don't have the velvet. I have the
black velvet with the satin lap hills. Such great clothing.
(25:42):
What's funny you asked before about why the designers, why
would we were a uniform? We were in Italy last
summer and I ran into Stephanocabana and the two of
us had literally the exact same glasses, t shirt, jeans,
everything it. We both got the memo right gosh, you know,
(26:03):
and I guess most of us, you know, most of
us try to find a way to make it easier.
Your uniform, your uniform. So um uh, if somebody comes
to visit you, now, um what would you be impressed by?
And someone looking for a job with Michael course as
a as a designer, what would you what would impress you? Well,
(26:24):
I think first, of of course their talent um, but
also an understanding and an empathy for people. You know,
I don't think you can be a good designer unless
you really care about people and how they live. So
when I'm talking to someone who's gonna join us, I
want to hear you know, what kind of person do
(26:47):
you imagine? Who are you thinking about? Because if someone
just says, oh, an imaginary person, well somehow to me,
that doesn't make sense. In two thousand and twenty one,
which was just last year, you celebrated your anniversary and business.
I celebrated my thirtieth in magazine world. Isn't that weird?
(27:09):
Both of us? So you were I started my magazine
thirty years before and you started. How did you? How
did you celebrate? Well, of course we were at the
height of the pendant, so we could not have a party.
We could not even have a live fashion show. And
I have always been a huge theater fan, and I
(27:33):
always had this fantasy, wouldn't it be amazing to have
a fashion show in the theater district in Times Square?
But of course normally you could never do that. And
I was heartbroken to see the theater shutdown and and
to see not just the actors, but just all the talent,
you know. So we decided that we were going to
(27:54):
film a fashion show on the streets of Times Square,
and with this huge range of models, I mean, Naomi
Campbell closed the show. She's the only model who's been
in a Michael Cores show in every decade of my career,
so it was wonderful. And Helena Christensen and people who
(28:15):
who have been such a part of my career. And
then also we uh we we were also giving back
to the Actor's Fund because just what was going on,
helping support the poor actors who were out of work.
Everyone out of all the all the people worked in
the theaters. So for me to see the theater come
back to life, the work, I mean, we we we
(28:36):
we also like to get involved in producing theater. I
think there's just something about live performance. We did network. Uh,
and we did the Lehman trilogy and both of them,
they were both we were involved with both. And you know,
storytelling live, it's just it's magic. Did you ever act
(28:58):
when I was I went to acting school? You did?
I did. I went to acting school when I was
a young teenager. Um. And I modeled when I was little,
when my mom was modeling, and then she retired me um,
and then the acting thing was just I realized I'd
rather be in the audience. Well, who are your mentors? Who? Who?
(29:19):
As a as designers, who are your favorite favorite designers?
I mean, for me, I I always will have to
go back to the designers who changed the way people
live on a regular basis. So I go back to Salauran,
I go to Halston, I go to Chanel, Um, she
changed the way women look and live. Claire mccartell remarkable, Um,
(29:43):
Stephen Burrows who could move and dance all night long. Um,
all of those designers as Adina Laiyah. When you think
about the clothes he made back in the eighties, gosh,
those bodies. You have to have those bodies. But he
you know what's interesting, I mean he really when you
think about it, he really changed the fact that you
could put something on and it was stretchy, and I
(30:06):
had some. They were hot. They were hot, and they
still are. They are my daughter I loved as a Yes,
they're amazing. So what is the term American sports swear?
Because you are you are like the king of American
(30:28):
sports swear in my mind, and I think in many
other people's minds. What does it mean to you? You know,
it's funny when we hear the word sports where a
lot of people say you mean track track pads. No,
I mean a hoodie. That's part of it. That is
part of it. I think inherently, Listen, I make evening gowns,
I make cocktail dresses, we make tailored suits. American sportswear. Inherently,
(30:53):
even if it's a gown, it has some sense of
easiness to it, a sense of move then in comfort.
And also, I think we are pragmatic as Americans, so
I think that normally there's got to be a versatility
to it. Um. You know, I think that the French
are much more indulgent than we are, and I think
(31:16):
that Americans do have this practicality. So I have always
thought that American sports where is rooted in comfort, mobility, versatility,
and that can apply to everything from track pants to
a gown, Like why not be comfortable in a gown?
You know, I don't. I don't understand the idea that
you should be sort of you know, trust up. Of course,
(31:38):
it's just you know, unless you're going to a Halloween party,
push it up, push it Well, let's talk about West Night. Okay,
last night with the Council of Fashion Designer Awards in
uh that Custos Tripriani on the East River, and Michael
was there. Um, I was there people. I mean there
were rappers there there. Drake was there. But it was
(32:01):
a crazy crowd and all the genders and Karajashians and
um and amazing, amazing group of people. So what table
were you at? Well, we were at our own table.
Our table was lost. Was at your table. Amanda Seyfrid
was with me and because she's just to me so talented, stylish, beautiful, Um,
(32:23):
and she looked beautiful, She looked great. She wore a
pair of trousers in a body suit. She said to me,
she said, I'm actually comfortable. Um. And then we also
I love seeing the models that we work with. Um
off the runway and in real life so beautiful Chinese
model named Hikong and as the gold Gold Gold Hodd.
(32:45):
I love to get that. We're which, sure, where do
I go for that? That was custom? One off, one off,
one off. She's she's actually she's she's a remarkable model.
Her name is bad and she is uh she is
Somali um but grew up in Iowa. And isn't that
the American dreamy? You know? That to me is slender,
(33:07):
very tall, very very thin, that long neck. She was
so beautiful in that outfit. She could sell in thousands
of those for you. But you know what was so
that for the stores? We have to make that? What's
it made out of? It was? It was all hand
embroidered metal piettes on silk chiffon. Okay, but you know
(33:28):
what's interesting last night, I'm sure you thought the same thing.
How eclectic was the mix of people at that event?
And isn't that the best of America. I'm sitting next
to Lenny Kravitz, I'm sitting with Drake, and they're all
hugging and kissing each other. It was a really interesting
it was, you know, so interesting. Share was at my table,
(33:50):
I mean the legend of legends. Speaking of eclectic, right,
you go from Lenny Share, but no, not so not
so odd though, because Share and Lenny were both dressed
and a lot of black leather and chrome hearts. It works,
It worked, It worked. Oh my gosh, it was such
a I felt like start of the fish out of water.
(34:10):
But it was so much fun. But it was. It
was an incredible night in celebration for you know, there
had been a hiatus because of cod and here's Fashion
Back Anniversary and really just promoting American talent around the world. Yeah,
and it's it's a wonderful, wonderful event and a wonderful
(34:31):
group of people who were really really care about fashion.
And now, what do you think about, um, the high
high high end of fashion. I mean, you do a
lot of that too, but you do a lot of
uh not, I would say moderately price. I would say democratic, democratically.
Michael does democratically priced fashion. But um, so what do
(34:54):
you think about the high end? They seem to have
survived the pandemic better than anybody? Is that true? I
think I think what people realize, you know, it's all
relative price. Price tags are relative to who you are
in your bank account, how you live. I think people
in general, though, are realizing I want the best I
(35:16):
can afford that works from my life. And I think
that we went through before the pandemic. I think it
was just more and more and more and more and
more you said the disposal of the disposability, and then
suddenly I think it clicked. Listen, a lot of us
spent too much time in our homes and you started
looking at these things that you thought, well, why don't
(35:38):
I actually wear that? But I always grabbed for that.
So I think that the best quality that is within
your price range, and the best tailoring and the best versatility,
all of that, that's what people grab for. What's the
one thing every woman should have in her wardrobe? I'm
(35:59):
going sound boring, but it should be an impeccable seasonless
black pant suit because you can go anywhere in that,
you can split it apart, you could dress it up,
dress it down, and it really has no time or
day or What about a man? What should he have that?
I actually think every man should have white jeans, Oh,
(36:21):
white jeans, because I've never seen you in white wear them.
I do wear white jeans because white jeans could be
everything from a black T shirt to a navy blazer,
and I love them. In the winter, you had a
fancy um I guess a week long fashion show in
Palm Beach last year. I was doing my cbd um
(36:43):
at at a hotel in Palm Beach and there you
were with your new boutique there, and I think I
was wearing white jeans. You know what I think, I
think I have. I had to look back at my photos.
I think I'm in white jeans. What's your favorite color
palette to work in? Well, it is the color of
my shopping bags, and I am addicted to camel. Camel um.
(37:07):
I like the idea that it's fabrics and materials look
very luscious and rich in it. But I like the
classic side of it done in a non classic way.
I love sexy camel. But you know, I bought a
white Michael Core's lace top, kind of a loose, pretty
top with the collar lined in kind of a camel
ly pink exactly. I love. I love that. It's a
(37:32):
fabulous and then I bought it. Susan mcgreeno bought it,
and about I don't know how many other thousands of
people bought it. I went to one party and four
of us had that top o. I love that You're
like the four tops, You're the four tops, You're the
four top wed it on and we all were with
different bottoms. But it was such a great topic. That's
when we said the versatility. Yeah, four different people at
(37:55):
the same event, looking four different ways. How does it
feel to know that former First Lady Michelle Obama were
a dress designed by you for her first term official portrait. Well,
I had no idea that she was going to wear
the dress for the portrait. What color it was black,
it was jersey, it was sleeveless, it was sleeveless. That
(38:17):
was everything that we had never seen our first lady,
where before nobody ever beared their arms and never black
white and never black and jersey. And I suddenly when
I saw the photograph, I thought, wow, like we've entered
modern times. I mean, look at how remarkable. And I
(38:38):
could tell you she would be able to wear that
dress thirty years from now, whereas you know, if you
had a colorful suit on with big shoulder pads, that
might not that might not stand the test of time. Yeah,
I was a little shocked about the bear arms that
was that was at the time, it was we had
not she were bare arms, A lot of the beautiful arms.
(38:59):
She had the right arm so well. Recently, the New
York Times reported the rise of crop tops in the office.
What you think about today's dress codes? Can I tell you?
I think this is unbelievably exciting what we're going through
right now. That women feel more comfortable about their bodies
(39:21):
and how they want to present themselves than ever before.
Why do you think they feel safer? Um? I don't know.
I think I think it's sort of women have taken
the power back because all of a sudden, people realized
for years, if you were bare, were you doing it
for someone else's gaze? Just for yourself? Now, all of
(39:44):
a sudden, it's like, wait a minute, I'm not doing
this for anyone but myself. I look good, I feel good,
I look good, I looked in the mirror, I feel hot,
and I'm doing it. And if other people like it, great,
if they don't want but men are so terrified that
they're not even looking well, I think that you know
the idea. I read the article. I thought the article
(40:06):
was great, you know, I I see that. Uh, when
we talk about what works at work. I think we've shifted,
you know, the idea of what's too bear. Listen, we're
in midtown, New York. I remember when people would never
wear sandals or shorts. We'll walk around Miami everybody and
see what they're wearing down there, basically zero as little
(40:28):
as possible. Boy. So I think I think that it's
it's it's reconditioning our heads um. And if you're comfortable
with the slice of skin, well I think go for it. Absolutely.
But your name graces so many lovely products from ready
to wear clothing for women and men. You have footwear, accessories,
(40:50):
I wear, and fragrance. How do you ensure that your
vision is carried out? I'm gonna say this to you.
You a terror I mean, you've got to be a
nice control freak. That's right, that's the fact, you know. So.
And I am very opinionated and quick. So I make
(41:12):
the decision and say, yay, nay, yes, go let's try this.
Let's do this differently, because you know what, my name's
on it. I've got I've got to I've got to
believe in it. And your name is on a lot
of things all over the world. It keeps me busy.
But what do you do to relax? Where? What do
you do? Well? I bet you do the same things
I do you like to eat? Do you like? I
(41:33):
love great food. I love to travel. Um and I
and I have to say, because I'm such an urban character,
I like to get back to nature. So whether it's
an unbelievable beach or or we were talking about safari,
where you just suddenly you're in another world, someone else's world,
not your world. UM. So I think that that's super important.
(41:56):
I find even in New York, you know, just seeing
the water and the and and green. You know, we
were talking about green in New York City. How important
it is. So I I need to recharge. I literally
will just shut it off and it's sort of you're
plugging the car in and your recharge. Where is it?
Where's the most extraordinary place you visited and say the
(42:17):
last fifteen years, Um, probably the place that you know
other than Africa for Safari. UM, wonderful place called Kangaroo Island. Um.
It's in the south south southern coast of Australia. Unfortunately
that a horrible fire, but this was just the abundance
(42:39):
of nature was so remarkable. But then you had this
incredible lodge that was architecturally magnificent. Because to me, it's
sort of I want nature and comfort, I want the
two together. That that burned down is a tragedy, and
I hope it can that they restore that the beauty
(43:00):
to such a remarkable place. And what about eating? What's
your favorite kind of restaurants? Well, I am hands down
a fan of Italian, Italian, Italian and more Italian food.
I think there's um Strangely, I think the Italians actually
cooked the way I design. I think they want the
very best ingredients and they try to keep things pretty
(43:21):
simple so you actually taste the ingredients. And uh So
when I'm in Italy, i'm I'm I'm kind of knocked
out by how great the food is. Where in the
lawn do you eat? Well, We've got we do some
of the classics. My grandmother's name was Beatrice, so in
Italian Beatrice is beach A, So I love the original
beach A and Milan. It's just I love the room,
(43:43):
I love the food. It's like being a home for us. Um.
I loved Jacomo uh for great fish and milan. I
just think, again, great ingredients, you know and and they
never they never try too hard. You know. Sometimes I
think people try too hard with good ingredients. Do you cook? Um,
(44:05):
I think you and I I think I've cooked with
you on your show, you remember I have. I think
I made meatballs with you, and I think I made
my grandmother's pineapple cake with you. I am a terrible baker. Um,
I'm good at things that you don't have to be
precise with the recipe. Do you have a cook at home? Yeah,
(44:28):
we do, we do, we do. But I eat out
a lot. I have to say, we eat out a lot. Well,
back to just a little bit, back to fashion. If
you look back, what era had the best fashion? In
your mind? Um? For me, the best fashion really would
be the sixties. In the seventies, I think they were
(44:48):
uh eras that everything changed. Um. I think when I
look at Japanese, did you like the Japanese fashion that
we were wearing? Then? That was my favorite part of it,
you know. But I I when I look at like
makeup in the sixties, remarkable, the hair, the makeup, everyone
looked great. That's when I was modeling in the sixties.
(45:10):
Can imagine. But but what an amazing change from the fifties,
which was so buttoned up and so uptight, and suddenly,
you know, we had we had a youthquake. And then
the seventies, I think people discovered their bodies, you know,
you really discovered what it was like to actually be
able to move in your clothes instead of being in
(45:30):
a girdle and a longline brawn all that. Those girdles ridiculous,
we were hideous. I remember my mom getting into a girdle,
and they wore them regularly every day, every day, every
day under the house dressing every day. They were My
grandmother was fully in case. She every day and she
(45:51):
was a high school principal and she went to school
dressed like that. It's crazy. Well, I'm I am very
grateful that we are have a more relaxed approach to
fashion and a more relaxed approach to undergarments. I gave
the award last night to Kim Kardashian and her skims,
which I must say are rather confining once you put
(46:13):
them on. But it's not your mom's girdle. No, it's not.
That's they're easier to they're easier to get on, but
they are confining. You know. I actually had a woman
once years ago wearing a white dress of ours that
was very fitted, and I said, you look great in
your dress, and she said, I can't breathe. So I
said why not? She said, well, you don't know what's
going on underneath. I said, okay, it's your secret. But
(46:36):
do you like women's bodies nowadays? You like the thinness
of of so many women? You know? I have to
say if if you look at a Michael Corps fashion show,
we really run the gamut I mean of different types
of bodies, different ages. We have models in their fifties,
models who are teenagers, petite, tall, size sixteen. You're more
(46:58):
you're more approachable. I don't I don't understand. I used
to have this on Project Runways. Some of the designers.
They would be like, I don't design for people who
are that size. I think it's a difficult thing to
think that you're only designing for one body type. Well,
this touches on your love of food, but you really
care about people who are hungry and who have not
(47:20):
the ability to get their own food and sustenance. So
you started, um, watch Hunger Stop? Yes, when did you
start that? Well, watch Hunger Stop? Gordon? That nine years ago. UM,
and it has been remarkable for us because what what
I saw here in New York City back in the
(47:42):
late eighties, I got involved with an organization called God's
Love We Deliver UM and that's been such an amazing
it's and it through the pandemic, through the AIDS crisis,
they are there here in New York. Uh and and
it's really you know, sometimes you will overwhelmed that you
can't make a difference. And here's something you and I
(48:05):
certainly we both love great food, but you see what
it can do for someone, um, that someone is thinking
about them and caring about them. So the United Nations
we realized that they were just the perfect partner for
Watch Hunger Stop with the school meals program. Um that
we all know this is outside of the States, this
(48:27):
is around the world, and we now we see that
not only of course you bring nutrition to these kids,
but in a lot of these countries, the parents don't
want to send often a girl to school. They want
her to stay at home and work. But when there's
a meal waiting for her, they send her to school.
(48:48):
And you know, everyone can this is something that we
can all help, you know, it's it's it's crazy, Martha,
when we think here in the States or in the West,
a cup of coffee in the morning is often five dollars. Well,
five dollars if you make five dollar donation to the
World Food Program four watch hunger stops. That's an entire
(49:12):
month of meals at school for for a child. So
we see the difference, you know. And it's kind of
we're talking about what's delicious. Well it it nourishes not
only the body, but it nourishes the soul. No, we
we are spoiled here in America, but there's a lot
of hunger. We have it. We have it here in
(49:33):
New York. We have it. We have homeless, we have
hunger and uh. And that you're paying attention to these
really dire problems is very admirable. And we're all in
We're all in it together, we're all connected. Well, you
and I are the tireless workers, Michael Cores and I
think that we will always be the tireless worker. Absolutely
and uh. And it's so nice to see you doing
(49:54):
so well while you do so much good and dress
us so beautifully. I really appreciate your taking the time
out of your busy schedule to come here and speak
with us today, to talk, it's so great. Thank you
for pleasure.
You know, I don't think you can be a good
designer unless you really care about people and how they live.
From a very young age, Michael cores knew exactly what
he was meant to do fashion. At the age of five,
his mother allowed him to redesign her wedding dress when
she got remarried. At the age of eleven, Michael opened
(00:22):
a boutique and his mother's basement, known for his classic
button modern design. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood,
and even former First Lady Michelle Obama have worn Michael's clothing.
Throughout his career, Michael has been a fierce advocate for
feeding those suffering from hunger. Michael launched his first fashion
line in One at the age of twenty one. In
(00:45):
two thousand and eleven, when his company went public, it
was the biggest US fashion I p O business in history,
and just last year, Michael celebrated his forty year in business,
a true milestone. Michael, it is very great to see
you and welcome to my podcast. I'm thrilled to be here.
Always great to see you. It is so fun and
(01:06):
I mean we saw each other last night to that wow, um,
well you grew up surrounded by fashion, and how did
your family nurture your interests? Funny enough, I think you know,
I'm an only child and I grew up boiled only child. Adults,
let's say indulged. Let's not say spoiled. Let's go with indulge.
(01:30):
But now I think, um, I think when I was really,
when I was young, they kind of brought me along
on the adult conversations. And so many people in my
family were connected to fashion. My mom was modeling, my
grandfather was in the textile business. Um, I had an
uncle who was a manufacturer. So it's sort of this
(01:54):
I don't know. It was a conversation at the table,
you know, and they talked endlessly about why was this
good and that wasn't good? And so you had a
really good introduction to fashion and an education right at her.
So lovely, Well, you redesigned your mom's dress when you
were five years old. What did it look like? What's interesting?
(02:15):
My mom the first marriage, she did not have a
big wedding, and then the second wedding was coming along,
and I think my grandmother wanted a big wedding, and
so my mom's dress, you know, it was the sixties,
so it was The silhouette was on Pierre and very streamlined,
(02:35):
but the dress was covered with zillions of bows. It
had bows, bows, bows and more bows, and that was pretty.
It was a bit overdone. So yeah, a little overdone.
And I think what happened. I think that she was
on her final fitting and it was myself and my
grandmother and my mom. She tried to dress on and
my grandmother said, it's perfect. My mom looked in the
(02:56):
mirror and she looked at me and I said, and
she said, what do you what? What are you making
a face? And I said too many bows. So the
next thing you knew, the tailor came in. They started
snipping off the bows and we ended up with one bow.
And you you made up your mind that that's what
happened to be. I knew and I looked at it.
(03:17):
It just it needed an edit. Well, at eleven, you
opened your first boutique in your home. What did you
sell in that boutique? Well, first off, the name of
the boutique was everything was called the inn Agata da
Vida in Agata Davida, which was this rock and roll
song at the time, and I think I wanted it
to be very sort of woodstock, hippie um. And I
(03:40):
was very crafty. Of course I'm sitting here talking to
you about this. So I had candles that I had made,
leather craft that I had done, copper bracelets. I had
a girl who was crocheting snoods. Um. We had all
of these things. And I said to my mom, I said,
I'm just doing this. She said, as long as they
don't come through the house and they just go to
the basement. Great. And we sold everything in like two days.
(04:04):
It was a big six bet. People love the handcrafted,
the original, and the one of a kind. And the
one of a kind was really and I learned that
at that age. Well, how did the boutique influence the
beginning of the Michael Core's brand. I mean, you learned it.
You must have learned it right there, you got you
got the book. I think you know. For me, it's
(04:26):
it's always going to be the sort of I say,
it's the magic of the tissue rustling. It's the magic
of when you put the right thing on and you
look in the mirror. And at that age I had
already seen my mom and my grandmother and all of
my aunts. I had this like cast of characters, all
these women who I saw the power of fashion and
(04:46):
the power of shopping. Well, what did you like? What
what got you about fashion? I was it? Was it
making pretty things? Was it style? What was it? You know?
In my whole life, this is terrible to say. I've
always kind of done this sort of makeover show in
my mind with strangers, with everyone. I look and I'm like,
(05:06):
maybe if she just shortened that skirt a little, maybe,
if the hair was this maybe. So I think I'm
always thinking about how do you kind of take what
someone is about and make them a better version of themselves.
That's nice, you know that. I never loved this sort
of weird Cinderella, you know, total from I think it's
(05:30):
just be yourself, but be better. Yeah, well I think
you're I think you're right about that. I mean, I
have so many friends who I know I could restyle.
I mean, I should restyle myself to I should restyle
myself because I mean I'm boring. I mean I don't.
Everyone's like Michael, course has stayed looking the same ever
since I met him. He wears these dark aviator glasses.
(05:51):
He wears navy blue or black. Sort of right, Today's
cashmere crew necked twitters and jeans and black sneakers and
a big heavy gold rule X and I'm good. I
could go anywhere. I can go anywhere. You can go anywhere. Yeah.
But um but it's funny. I mean the oftentimes the
(06:11):
designer is the least designed of the of the people.
He dresses well, I have to or she dresses. I
have to say though. When I was young, I mean
growing up, I mean as a kid, as a teenager,
I was trendy. I wore it all. What was the
favorite What was your favorite outfit? Oh? I think probably
(06:32):
the craziest thing. It's Studio fifty four. I wore Harem
pants with a huge belt on my hips, boots, leg warmers,
and big Porsche sunglasses. Boy, I was eighteen years old. Oh,
I think I had like a linen wrap shirt that
had no buttons. I weighed probably thirty pounds then, So
(06:54):
I thought that was pretty good. It looks pretty cool. Yeah.
I only went to Studio fifty four, I see twice
in my life. What what if I missed the life
changing But I missed it. I missed it. It was
I mean, I remember the little scenarios I saw as
I was walking. I went to night where they had
the walls of ice. What was that? What was that
(07:15):
celebrating that night? I remember what those parties. There were
so many amazing crazy and there was smoking going on
upstairs and snorting. It was and it was a wild
you know that I went the first time I went
to you know why I went instead of going to
my high school problem? We went to study. Oh you
did well, that was fun. It was problems are really why? Tom?
(07:35):
It was like going to it better? You know why? Not? So?
Um so you dressed, You dressed cool, you dressed. Then
I think when I went into business, I was just
I realized that I was first off, super busy and
traveling like crazy, and I was spending all my time
thinking about what everyone else should wear. So I just
(07:58):
wanted to simplify the process from my self. Um but
I think back in the eighties, I wore a button
down shirt every day with a blazer and aviator. So
I had like a fifteen year run of that and
then I switched. Well what designers did you follow when
you were growing up and developing your own personal style? Well,
(08:20):
I think you know, coming of age, Uh, the American
designers were of course a big influence, whether it was Halston, Neurrell, Um,
Stephen Burrows. But then Salaurant was just, you know, I
mean truly changed how everyone looked. So for me, I
remember there was a W magazine cover that said plain
(08:42):
and fancy and they had Salaran and Halston, and I
thought that two of them just summed it all up.
Oh and and indeed they did at that time absolutely absolutely, Yeah,
that's quite a quite a duo. And uh, I mean
really potent the and they had the way for you
and other people of your generation to become the greatest
(09:05):
designers for Americans. Well, and now, of course, I think
you know what we perceived of as American Um, the
world really lives, uh with sportswear and with the idea
of comfort and it's fast and mobile. And you know,
we used to have the fantasy that people in Paris
were very formal and well now of course, walk around
(09:26):
Paris and you know, people are casual and on the go.
And I hope a lot of you get to go
to Paris now that travel restrictions are lifted and traveling
is becoming more popular. I just heard that American Express
is doing much much better because of travel. Absolutely nice. Well,
at what age did you go to f I t
Fashion Institute of Technology. I moved into Manhattan when I
(09:51):
was we're suburban kids, two of us. Where'd you grow
up in Long Island? And I moved in when I
was eighteen. Um, I went to the Fashion Institute, and
you know, immediately I was surrounded by people who were
as obsessed with fashion as I was, which was incredible.
And did you study drawing or um? No? I was no.
(10:13):
I actually UM, I signed up for for fashion design. Um.
I was the worst sewer in the world, but a
very proficient sketcher. UM. So I was very very unbalanced
as a student. I ended up. I didn't stay in
school that long because I started working. You worked for
a boutique or yeah, I worked for I worked for
(10:35):
a store, um right off Fifth Avenue uh and fifty seven,
straight across from Bergdorf Goodman called Lothars, and it was
a French company. Um. They were sort of this tide
dyed san trop a bridget Bardot on the back of
a Vespa kind of look. And I started working there
as a salesperson in school and then the next thing
(10:58):
I knew, I was offered the opportunity to design product
for the store. I was, and you know, we had
unbelievable customers. Martha. We I learned everything from the people
who shopped in the store, and I think we were
kind of the gap for the uber rich. But you
did all that high style. Yeah, it was amazing. What
(11:21):
would you consider I and so you you were You've
always been working. I like that about you. Yeah, we
we we like that. We like energetic and hard working
and entrepreneurial people. This is this is what would you
consider your first big break in the fashion world? Well,
(11:42):
I think certainly for me to launch my collection at
Bergdorf Goodman, see the windows go in on Fifth Avenue.
What year was that, you know? I was, I was.
It seems like yesterday for me. Well, I can't decide
if it feels partially, it feels like yesterday in parts.
Part time, I think to myself, that's eons ago. But
(12:05):
but it's eons in in certain respects. But really, I mean,
I mean Microsoft hadn't even started, no, of course, I
mean the world Google hadn't started, you know. It's so
I mean the windows at Burgdors being at Burgdorf's in fact,
the first thing that was written about me. Um was
(12:26):
written by Anna went Tour. Anna went Tour was working
at New York magazine and she picked me as her
fall fashion pick. Oh wow, close friends still close friends,
Burgdorf Sanata. It was a good way to start. Well,
(12:51):
you launched your first fashion line at the age of
twenty one. Looking back, what advice would you give that
young man today? What did you do? Did you do
anything wrong? Or do you think everything was just hunky dory? Well,
I think because we weren't dealing with social media and
we didn't have the sort of rapid kind of crush
(13:15):
and rush that we have today. Um, but I was
always in a rush. I was always, you know, a
little impatience, and you knew how to promote, oh I.
I and I knew how to get out there. That's
what I think Michael and I have been in common.
We know what we knew instinctively how to promote our
good ideas. Absolutely. Um, you know, listen, I was impatient.
(13:36):
You know, I couldn't understand three years and why I
wasn't a household name, you know, I mean that Martha,
you know. But funny enough, I waited for three years
to have an actual fashion show. So what was in
that first fashion show? Can you remember all the different
styles or like, what, well, the coolest thing in that
(13:56):
first fashion show um Iman uh sher models. She was
in the show and we are still close friends all
these years later. And she wore this beautiful chocolate brown
leather pull over, great Kashmir flannel trousers, and this gorgeous
black silk shirt. Sounds perfect for today and you'd you'd
(14:18):
absolutely put it on today. And the funny thing is
when I opened my first store on Madison Avenue, you
were at the store opening wearing a leather shirt. You
had a leather shirt with a lot of pearls. Yes,
oh I remember, and you told me you commented on
my pearls. I liked them. I love the leather and
the pearls. And I think so much of what I
showed in that first show, maybe with a change in
(14:40):
shoulder pads, because back in the eighties we had those
enormous pads. Oh you know, I sort of like shoulder pairs,
even though I have big shoulders. I liked that. I
liked them until they get you know, half and you
look at half back. It sounds too great. But the
movies found you. You you designed the Thomas Crown Fair
clothing for Renee Russo, who was like she was one
(15:04):
of my idols. She was so beautiful in that movie,
like real hot stuff. Um, what did you design for her? Well?
What was interesting? When I was growing up, One of
my favorite fashion movies was The Thomas Crown Affair. The
original was Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway, and the clothes
and the sets and the everything, all the locations were amazing.
(15:25):
And I knew Renee and she had never done a
film where the character was meant to be glamorous. And
she called and she said, I'm doing The Thomas Ground
Affair and she said, and we've got to look sophisticated, sleek, sexy,
glamorous all at once. So between Michael Cores and at
the time, I was designing Selene in Paris, so she, oh, yeah,
(15:49):
I forgot. So we were doing both some of my
favorite clothes. Yeah, I mean they were really beautiful, timeless,
luxurious pieces, and and it ended up I would say
probably that of the wardrobe in the film was from,
you know, between Michael Cores and Selene, And after the
(16:10):
movie opened, I think it was really the first movie
where you saw adults being sexy and women. Who was
the male lead? It was I mean they were quite
a remarkable couple. Yeah. Well, over the years, you have
certainly had the opportunity to address many celebrities. Um, it's
(16:34):
hard to ask you who stands out, but you must
have some favorites. Well, I have to say the most
fun moment always for me is the met Ball because
it's not the typical red carpet. You know, you can
break all the rules. So we've you know, we've done
everyone from Shijihadi to j Lo, from Regina King to
(16:55):
Carry Washington, and you always can kind of really bring
out the drama but still be true to yourself as
a designer. It's gotten it's gotten wilder. Oh well, the
first time I you listen, I went years ago and
I think, you know, people wore a simple dress and
off your end. You know. I went two or three
(17:15):
times early on and it was like very stated, and
then it started to get wilder. And then it's started
to get really expensive and an Am clamped down on
who came and who didn't come, and then the clothes though,
got really amped up. It was fun. I have to
say the gidd. The theme that year was camp, and
(17:38):
so Bette Midler came and of course that said to me,
she said, she said, if you want to talk about camp,
let's go for it. But with both of them that year,
that theme really allowed I think myself and all of
the designers to just really have fun. But you like
Halloween too, didn't you do, Bett Midler? Every year Listeners
(17:58):
has a Halloween pready called Hulueen and uh and you
used to judge you still I won for my surfboard
outfit one one year. I was I went as a surfer,
I know, and I a surfer girl, and I wore
a very hot surfer suit, full suit body suit and
(18:22):
I was dragging a twine like a twelve foot surfboard
with me and no cut Taxi would pick me up.
And it was I had to walk like thirty blocks
to the Waldorf Story and my surf look and I was,
I was dripping wet when I got there, but it
was It's always such a funny. And and also the
organization New York Restoration Project, that's the organization that Bits
(18:44):
started that plants trees throughout the five bird Guards incredible
community guards, amazing Greening, New York and uh, and then
then you're you're design You're designing all these incredible clothes.
I remember I was looking at my closet. I have
a closet the attic where I keep all my old clothes,
and looking for my Michael Cores clothing, um and UM.
(19:07):
Clothing change very not too much, um, but from the
broad shoulders and the suits. Then we got into more
dresses than we got into more pants, and then more sportswear. Um.
But then you joined a show, a very popular show
on TV called Project Runway, and that was in two thousand,
I think in four oh four. Now do you think
(19:30):
TV really made a big difference in your career? Well,
I think the funny thing now in retrospect. At the
time when I first did the show, I when I
heard reality television, I all I knew was survivor. I
thought the designers are gonna have to eat bugs or
worms or you know. But then what we saw that
what I thought was so interesting and people fell in
(19:52):
love with, was they saw the alchemy of you start
with nothing an idea, and suddenly you have something. And
as far as me and how people reacted to Michael
Core's I think they got to know me. Yeah, they
think they really had this sort of person. And they
love your advice to the contestants because really that that
(20:13):
really shows that you're a good teacher in addition to
being a fantastic design being able to teach that craft
is hard. And they also got to see my humor. Yes, yes,
I certainly, I certainly could you know, have a zinger
in there, and uh so I think it's funny. I
think what's wonderful about something like Project Runway. It lets
(20:34):
people know how much hard work goes into all of
the things that we wear and we love to wear.
What is today's trend? Is there a trend? I mean,
fashion is always they're always talking about fashion trends. Well,
we ride a roller coaster, you know, we really do.
We ride this roller coaster. So of course, you know,
during the height of the pandemic, you know, my gosh,
(20:56):
people were just like you know, in the house on
zoom and everyone's in shower slides and sweat pants and
track pants. And then suddenly the burst of oh, I'm
going back to work, I'm going to a party. I
can now wear a pair of shoes. I could wear
real shoes. Not just shower slides. UM. We definitely UM.
I think we're certainly seeing people want to get dressed up, um,
(21:19):
whether it's even just to have lunch with a friend
or go back to the office. But the thing that
I think is interesting to see is a new younger
generation loving beautiful tailored clothes again, an impeccable coat, an
impeccable jacket, because for a long time we had this
idea of disposable fast fashion, which to me is just
(21:43):
the worst thing you can do if you're trying to
think sustainably. I had a Tag Sail recently, and I
had I had gone through my clothes, and with a
TV career, you do collect a lot of clothing because
you have to look different every day. And I don't
like I don't like having too many clothes because I
don't like to waste. But I put all my very
(22:05):
good things in a couple of tubs, beautiful silk shirts, Italian, French, American,
and all my designer kind of clothing, the Michael Coeurs
and the Ralphs and the other things and other tubs,
and I put those in a in a house. I
did not want to sell those at my Tag Sail
I put a lot of the more disposable stuff and
other chubs. Well, somehow the chub's all got mixed up.
(22:28):
But I tell you guess what went first? All the
really beautiful designer clothing, My assistants who worked for me,
people who work in the company. And there I see
them now wearing these gorgeous, wonderful today. They look so
good in it. Well, and also it's you know, you
see the difference of something that's beautifully made, um that
(22:51):
that's tailored problem. But I think people instinctively know when
it's beautifully made too, and they want it, but they
can't afford it. Sometimes. Well, now of course they you
know what you're what you did, of course, Uh to
be able to regenerate, um, things that might be in
your closet and regenerate and find something new and move
on and recirculate. It's the greatest thing. So you you
(23:13):
would characterize today's perfect outfit as more tailored. I think
it's just the addition of the tailored piece. I don't
know if it's going to be the eighties back to
head to toe tailoring, because we've had the comfort thing.
So I think now it's maybe this blend, this hybrid
that you wear an impeccably tailored jacket maybe over the
(23:35):
casual things you have in your closet, or instead of
putting on a down jacket, put on a remarkable coat.
So when did you go public? What? What year was
that when you everything happened? Every everything happened. Let's see, Uh,
public was two thousand eleven. Now this is after your
fashion is everywhere. Do you already have your own stores
(23:56):
or we had We had opened many stores at that point,
and we start it expanding around the world. And you
had and you had handbags, We had bags, We had
a footwear, UM, eyeglasses, fragrances, uh, women's and men's clothing UM.
And we really, though I have to say, Martha, we
(24:17):
started seeing that this sort of idea that oh it's
American fashion, that kind of all the borders disappeared and
we saw that suddenly, you know, someone in Jakarta fell
in love with the same piece as someone in Chicago. UM,
so that was really the lightbulb. When did you go public?
(24:38):
Before Ralph Lauren went public, it was Donna Karen, Uh, Donna.
At that point Donna Karen was probably with LVMH, but
she had gone before before and then she went private.
Who do you consider all your contemporaries, Well, we we
kind of like, you know, it's funny. When I was
(24:58):
at Selene, my for season at Selene was Mark Jacob's
first season at Louis Uta. We went the same season,
and we've kind of grown up together. And then you know,
Tom Ford and I are sort of again the same
thing the Americans who were in Europe um, so you
see that. And I don't know if I have any
(25:19):
Michael Corselen, but I do have tom Ford tuxedos from
the original Go Chain, I do. I loved those so much.
I mean, I'm trying to I'm trying to get thin
enough to wear those now. The famous red velvet was, Oh,
I know, I don't have the velvet. I have the
black velvet with the satin lap hills. Such great clothing.
(25:42):
What's funny you asked before about why the designers, why
would we were a uniform? We were in Italy last
summer and I ran into Stephanocabana and the two of
us had literally the exact same glasses, t shirt, jeans,
everything it. We both got the memo right gosh, you know,
(26:03):
and I guess most of us, you know, most of
us try to find a way to make it easier.
Your uniform, your uniform. So um uh, if somebody comes
to visit you, now, um what would you be impressed by?
And someone looking for a job with Michael course as
a as a designer, what would you what would impress you? Well,
(26:24):
I think first, of of course their talent um, but
also an understanding and an empathy for people. You know,
I don't think you can be a good designer unless
you really care about people and how they live. So
when I'm talking to someone who's gonna join us, I
want to hear you know, what kind of person do
(26:47):
you imagine? Who are you thinking about? Because if someone
just says, oh, an imaginary person, well somehow to me,
that doesn't make sense. In two thousand and twenty one,
which was just last year, you celebrated your anniversary and business.
I celebrated my thirtieth in magazine world. Isn't that weird?
(27:09):
Both of us? So you were I started my magazine
thirty years before and you started. How did you? How
did you celebrate? Well, of course we were at the
height of the pendant, so we could not have a party.
We could not even have a live fashion show. And
I have always been a huge theater fan, and I
(27:33):
always had this fantasy, wouldn't it be amazing to have
a fashion show in the theater district in Times Square?
But of course normally you could never do that. And
I was heartbroken to see the theater shutdown and and
to see not just the actors, but just all the talent,
you know. So we decided that we were going to
(27:54):
film a fashion show on the streets of Times Square,
and with this huge range of models, I mean, Naomi
Campbell closed the show. She's the only model who's been
in a Michael Cores show in every decade of my career,
so it was wonderful. And Helena Christensen and people who
(28:15):
who have been such a part of my career. And
then also we uh we we were also giving back
to the Actor's Fund because just what was going on,
helping support the poor actors who were out of work.
Everyone out of all the all the people worked in
the theaters. So for me to see the theater come
back to life, the work, I mean, we we we
(28:36):
we also like to get involved in producing theater. I
think there's just something about live performance. We did network. Uh,
and we did the Lehman trilogy and both of them,
they were both we were involved with both. And you know,
storytelling live, it's just it's magic. Did you ever act
(28:58):
when I was I went to acting school? You did?
I did. I went to acting school when I was
a young teenager. Um. And I modeled when I was little,
when my mom was modeling, and then she retired me um,
and then the acting thing was just I realized I'd
rather be in the audience. Well, who are your mentors? Who? Who?
(29:19):
As a as designers, who are your favorite favorite designers?
I mean, for me, I I always will have to
go back to the designers who changed the way people
live on a regular basis. So I go back to Salauran,
I go to Halston, I go to Chanel, Um, she
changed the way women look and live. Claire mccartell remarkable, Um,
(29:43):
Stephen Burrows who could move and dance all night long. Um,
all of those designers as Adina Laiyah. When you think
about the clothes he made back in the eighties, gosh,
those bodies. You have to have those bodies. But he
you know what's interesting, I mean he really when you
think about it, he really changed the fact that you
could put something on and it was stretchy, and I
(30:06):
had some. They were hot. They were hot, and they
still are. They are my daughter I loved as a Yes,
they're amazing. So what is the term American sports swear?
Because you are you are like the king of American
(30:28):
sports swear in my mind, and I think in many
other people's minds. What does it mean to you? You know,
it's funny when we hear the word sports where a
lot of people say you mean track track pads. No,
I mean a hoodie. That's part of it. That is
part of it. I think inherently, Listen, I make evening gowns,
I make cocktail dresses, we make tailored suits. American sportswear. Inherently,
(30:53):
even if it's a gown, it has some sense of
easiness to it, a sense of move then in comfort.
And also, I think we are pragmatic as Americans, so
I think that normally there's got to be a versatility
to it. Um. You know, I think that the French
are much more indulgent than we are, and I think
(31:16):
that Americans do have this practicality. So I have always
thought that American sports where is rooted in comfort, mobility, versatility,
and that can apply to everything from track pants to
a gown, Like why not be comfortable in a gown?
You know, I don't. I don't understand the idea that
you should be sort of you know, trust up. Of course,
(31:38):
it's just you know, unless you're going to a Halloween party,
push it up, push it Well, let's talk about West Night. Okay,
last night with the Council of Fashion Designer Awards in
uh that Custos Tripriani on the East River, and Michael
was there. Um, I was there people. I mean there
were rappers there there. Drake was there. But it was
(32:01):
a crazy crowd and all the genders and Karajashians and
um and amazing, amazing group of people. So what table
were you at? Well, we were at our own table.
Our table was lost. Was at your table. Amanda Seyfrid
was with me and because she's just to me so talented, stylish, beautiful, Um,
(32:23):
and she looked beautiful, She looked great. She wore a
pair of trousers in a body suit. She said to me,
she said, I'm actually comfortable. Um. And then we also
I love seeing the models that we work with. Um
off the runway and in real life so beautiful Chinese
model named Hikong and as the gold Gold Gold Hodd.
(32:45):
I love to get that. We're which, sure, where do
I go for that? That was custom? One off, one off,
one off. She's she's actually she's she's a remarkable model.
Her name is bad and she is uh she is
Somali um but grew up in Iowa. And isn't that
the American dreamy? You know? That to me is slender,
(33:07):
very tall, very very thin, that long neck. She was
so beautiful in that outfit. She could sell in thousands
of those for you. But you know what was so
that for the stores? We have to make that? What's
it made out of? It was? It was all hand
embroidered metal piettes on silk chiffon. Okay, but you know
(33:28):
what's interesting last night, I'm sure you thought the same thing.
How eclectic was the mix of people at that event?
And isn't that the best of America. I'm sitting next
to Lenny Kravitz, I'm sitting with Drake, and they're all
hugging and kissing each other. It was a really interesting
it was, you know, so interesting. Share was at my table,
(33:50):
I mean the legend of legends. Speaking of eclectic, right,
you go from Lenny Share, but no, not so not
so odd though, because Share and Lenny were both dressed
and a lot of black leather and chrome hearts. It works,
It worked, It worked. Oh my gosh, it was such
a I felt like start of the fish out of water.
(34:10):
But it was so much fun. But it was. It
was an incredible night in celebration for you know, there
had been a hiatus because of cod and here's Fashion
Back Anniversary and really just promoting American talent around the world. Yeah,
and it's it's a wonderful, wonderful event and a wonderful
(34:31):
group of people who were really really care about fashion.
And now, what do you think about, um, the high
high high end of fashion. I mean, you do a
lot of that too, but you do a lot of
uh not, I would say moderately price. I would say democratic, democratically.
Michael does democratically priced fashion. But um, so what do
(34:54):
you think about the high end? They seem to have
survived the pandemic better than anybody? Is that true? I
think I think what people realize, you know, it's all
relative price. Price tags are relative to who you are
in your bank account, how you live. I think people
in general, though, are realizing I want the best I
(35:16):
can afford that works from my life. And I think
that we went through before the pandemic. I think it
was just more and more and more and more and
more you said the disposal of the disposability, and then
suddenly I think it clicked. Listen, a lot of us
spent too much time in our homes and you started
looking at these things that you thought, well, why don't
(35:38):
I actually wear that? But I always grabbed for that.
So I think that the best quality that is within
your price range, and the best tailoring and the best versatility,
all of that, that's what people grab for. What's the
one thing every woman should have in her wardrobe? I'm
(35:59):
going sound boring, but it should be an impeccable seasonless
black pant suit because you can go anywhere in that,
you can split it apart, you could dress it up,
dress it down, and it really has no time or
day or What about a man? What should he have that?
I actually think every man should have white jeans, Oh,
(36:21):
white jeans, because I've never seen you in white wear them.
I do wear white jeans because white jeans could be
everything from a black T shirt to a navy blazer,
and I love them. In the winter, you had a
fancy um I guess a week long fashion show in
Palm Beach last year. I was doing my cbd um
(36:43):
at at a hotel in Palm Beach and there you
were with your new boutique there, and I think I
was wearing white jeans. You know what I think, I
think I have. I had to look back at my photos.
I think I'm in white jeans. What's your favorite color
palette to work in? Well, it is the color of
my shopping bags, and I am addicted to camel. Camel um.
(37:07):
I like the idea that it's fabrics and materials look
very luscious and rich in it. But I like the
classic side of it done in a non classic way.
I love sexy camel. But you know, I bought a
white Michael Core's lace top, kind of a loose, pretty
top with the collar lined in kind of a camel
ly pink exactly. I love. I love that. It's a
(37:32):
fabulous and then I bought it. Susan mcgreeno bought it,
and about I don't know how many other thousands of
people bought it. I went to one party and four
of us had that top o. I love that You're
like the four tops, You're the four tops, You're the
four top wed it on and we all were with
different bottoms. But it was such a great topic. That's
when we said the versatility. Yeah, four different people at
(37:55):
the same event, looking four different ways. How does it
feel to know that former First Lady Michelle Obama were
a dress designed by you for her first term official portrait. Well,
I had no idea that she was going to wear
the dress for the portrait. What color it was black,
it was jersey, it was sleeveless, it was sleeveless. That
(38:17):
was everything that we had never seen our first lady,
where before nobody ever beared their arms and never black
white and never black and jersey. And I suddenly when
I saw the photograph, I thought, wow, like we've entered
modern times. I mean, look at how remarkable. And I
(38:38):
could tell you she would be able to wear that
dress thirty years from now, whereas you know, if you
had a colorful suit on with big shoulder pads, that
might not that might not stand the test of time. Yeah,
I was a little shocked about the bear arms that
was that was at the time, it was we had
not she were bare arms, A lot of the beautiful arms.
(38:59):
She had the right arm so well. Recently, the New
York Times reported the rise of crop tops in the office.
What you think about today's dress codes? Can I tell you?
I think this is unbelievably exciting what we're going through
right now. That women feel more comfortable about their bodies
(39:21):
and how they want to present themselves than ever before.
Why do you think they feel safer? Um? I don't know.
I think I think it's sort of women have taken
the power back because all of a sudden, people realized
for years, if you were bare, were you doing it
for someone else's gaze? Just for yourself? Now, all of
(39:44):
a sudden, it's like, wait a minute, I'm not doing
this for anyone but myself. I look good, I feel good,
I look good, I looked in the mirror, I feel hot,
and I'm doing it. And if other people like it, great,
if they don't want but men are so terrified that
they're not even looking well, I think that you know
the idea. I read the article. I thought the article
(40:06):
was great, you know, I I see that. Uh, when
we talk about what works at work. I think we've shifted,
you know, the idea of what's too bear. Listen, we're
in midtown, New York. I remember when people would never
wear sandals or shorts. We'll walk around Miami everybody and
see what they're wearing down there, basically zero as little
(40:28):
as possible. Boy. So I think I think that it's
it's it's reconditioning our heads um. And if you're comfortable
with the slice of skin, well I think go for it. Absolutely.
But your name graces so many lovely products from ready
to wear clothing for women and men. You have footwear, accessories,
(40:50):
I wear, and fragrance. How do you ensure that your
vision is carried out? I'm gonna say this to you.
You a terror I mean, you've got to be a
nice control freak. That's right, that's the fact, you know. So.
And I am very opinionated and quick. So I make
(41:12):
the decision and say, yay, nay, yes, go let's try this.
Let's do this differently, because you know what, my name's
on it. I've got I've got to I've got to
believe in it. And your name is on a lot
of things all over the world. It keeps me busy.
But what do you do to relax? Where? What do
you do? Well? I bet you do the same things
I do you like to eat? Do you like? I
(41:33):
love great food. I love to travel. Um and I
and I have to say, because I'm such an urban character,
I like to get back to nature. So whether it's
an unbelievable beach or or we were talking about safari,
where you just suddenly you're in another world, someone else's world,
not your world. UM. So I think that that's super important.
(41:56):
I find even in New York, you know, just seeing
the water and the and and green. You know, we
were talking about green in New York City. How important
it is. So I I need to recharge. I literally
will just shut it off and it's sort of you're
plugging the car in and your recharge. Where is it?
Where's the most extraordinary place you visited and say the
(42:17):
last fifteen years, Um, probably the place that you know
other than Africa for Safari. UM, wonderful place called Kangaroo Island. Um.
It's in the south south southern coast of Australia. Unfortunately
that a horrible fire, but this was just the abundance
(42:39):
of nature was so remarkable. But then you had this
incredible lodge that was architecturally magnificent. Because to me, it's
sort of I want nature and comfort, I want the
two together. That that burned down is a tragedy, and
I hope it can that they restore that the beauty
(43:00):
to such a remarkable place. And what about eating? What's
your favorite kind of restaurants? Well, I am hands down
a fan of Italian, Italian, Italian and more Italian food.
I think there's um Strangely, I think the Italians actually
cooked the way I design. I think they want the
very best ingredients and they try to keep things pretty
(43:21):
simple so you actually taste the ingredients. And uh So
when I'm in Italy, i'm I'm I'm kind of knocked
out by how great the food is. Where in the
lawn do you eat? Well, We've got we do some
of the classics. My grandmother's name was Beatrice, so in
Italian Beatrice is beach A, So I love the original
beach A and Milan. It's just I love the room,
(43:43):
I love the food. It's like being a home for us. Um.
I loved Jacomo uh for great fish and milan. I
just think, again, great ingredients, you know and and they
never they never try too hard. You know. Sometimes I
think people try too hard with good ingredients. Do you cook? Um,
(44:05):
I think you and I I think I've cooked with
you on your show, you remember I have. I think
I made meatballs with you, and I think I made
my grandmother's pineapple cake with you. I am a terrible baker. Um,
I'm good at things that you don't have to be
precise with the recipe. Do you have a cook at home? Yeah,
(44:28):
we do, we do, we do. But I eat out
a lot. I have to say, we eat out a lot. Well,
back to just a little bit, back to fashion. If
you look back, what era had the best fashion? In
your mind? Um? For me, the best fashion really would
be the sixties. In the seventies, I think they were
(44:48):
uh eras that everything changed. Um. I think when I
look at Japanese, did you like the Japanese fashion that
we were wearing? Then? That was my favorite part of it,
you know. But I I when I look at like
makeup in the sixties, remarkable, the hair, the makeup, everyone
looked great. That's when I was modeling in the sixties.
(45:10):
Can imagine. But but what an amazing change from the fifties,
which was so buttoned up and so uptight, and suddenly,
you know, we had we had a youthquake. And then
the seventies, I think people discovered their bodies, you know,
you really discovered what it was like to actually be
able to move in your clothes instead of being in
(45:30):
a girdle and a longline brawn all that. Those girdles ridiculous,
we were hideous. I remember my mom getting into a girdle,
and they wore them regularly every day, every day, every
day under the house dressing every day. They were My
grandmother was fully in case. She every day and she
(45:51):
was a high school principal and she went to school
dressed like that. It's crazy. Well, I'm I am very
grateful that we are have a more relaxed approach to
fashion and a more relaxed approach to undergarments. I gave
the award last night to Kim Kardashian and her skims,
which I must say are rather confining once you put
(46:13):
them on. But it's not your mom's girdle. No, it's not.
That's they're easier to they're easier to get on, but
they are confining. You know. I actually had a woman
once years ago wearing a white dress of ours that
was very fitted, and I said, you look great in
your dress, and she said, I can't breathe. So I
said why not? She said, well, you don't know what's
going on underneath. I said, okay, it's your secret. But
(46:36):
do you like women's bodies nowadays? You like the thinness
of of so many women? You know? I have to
say if if you look at a Michael Corps fashion show,
we really run the gamut I mean of different types
of bodies, different ages. We have models in their fifties,
models who are teenagers, petite, tall, size sixteen. You're more
(46:58):
you're more approachable. I don't I don't understand. I used
to have this on Project Runways. Some of the designers.
They would be like, I don't design for people who
are that size. I think it's a difficult thing to
think that you're only designing for one body type. Well,
this touches on your love of food, but you really
care about people who are hungry and who have not
(47:20):
the ability to get their own food and sustenance. So
you started, um, watch Hunger Stop? Yes, when did you
start that? Well, watch Hunger Stop? Gordon? That nine years ago. UM,
and it has been remarkable for us because what what
I saw here in New York City back in the
(47:42):
late eighties, I got involved with an organization called God's
Love We Deliver UM and that's been such an amazing
it's and it through the pandemic, through the AIDS crisis,
they are there here in New York. Uh and and
it's really you know, sometimes you will overwhelmed that you
can't make a difference. And here's something you and I
(48:05):
certainly we both love great food, but you see what
it can do for someone, um, that someone is thinking
about them and caring about them. So the United Nations
we realized that they were just the perfect partner for
Watch Hunger Stop with the school meals program. Um that
we all know this is outside of the States, this
(48:27):
is around the world, and we now we see that
not only of course you bring nutrition to these kids,
but in a lot of these countries, the parents don't
want to send often a girl to school. They want
her to stay at home and work. But when there's
a meal waiting for her, they send her to school.
(48:48):
And you know, everyone can this is something that we
can all help, you know, it's it's it's crazy, Martha,
when we think here in the States or in the West,
a cup of coffee in the morning is often five dollars. Well,
five dollars if you make five dollar donation to the
World Food Program four watch hunger stops. That's an entire
(49:12):
month of meals at school for for a child. So
we see the difference, you know. And it's kind of
we're talking about what's delicious. Well it it nourishes not
only the body, but it nourishes the soul. No, we
we are spoiled here in America, but there's a lot
of hunger. We have it. We have it here in
(49:33):
New York. We have it. We have homeless, we have
hunger and uh. And that you're paying attention to these
really dire problems is very admirable. And we're all in
We're all in it together, we're all connected. Well, you
and I are the tireless workers, Michael Cores and I
think that we will always be the tireless worker. Absolutely
and uh. And it's so nice to see you doing
(49:54):
so well while you do so much good and dress
us so beautifully. I really appreciate your taking the time
out of your busy schedule to come here and speak
with us today, to talk, it's so great. Thank you
for pleasure.
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