Michael Kors is one of the most popular affordable or accessible luxury brands of jewelry and accessories market.
Yet, when compared to other big luxury brands like Louis Vuitton or even Coach, the quality of the products offered by Michael Kors doesn’t match the high standards set by the other luxury brands on the market.
Which begs the question, what exactly makes Michael Kors a very popular brand of luxury products?
Is Michael Kors So Popular Now?
Today, Michael Kors is one of the most popular luxury goods brands, and the name has reached a high level of fame and ubiquity that has only been attained by bigger brands like Coach, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton. But what has propelled the brand to such high levels of success and popularity in the world?
Why Is Michael Kors So Popular?
Michael Kors’ popularity can be attributed to a number of factors, although the main reason for the success has got to be the fact that the brand boasts one of the best setups that has resulted in the success of the brand. We are talking about the management of the brand and its marketing strategies that have significantly increased the brand’s global awareness.
Essentially, Michael Kors is the brand that has been credited for bringing luxury and high fashion to American homes and the high streets. And with 311 stores across the US, all offering simple, good quality, and uncluttered styling and style products, all offered affordably, it makes sense that Michael Kors is on the list of the most popular luxury brands today.
To understand exactly how this brand has grown into a ubiquitous luxury brand globally, the rest of the article focuses on the primary factors that have contributed to the brand’s success. So, let’s jump right into it!
1. Excellent PR
Michael Kors success and popularity can, by a large extent, be attributed to the public relations strategies that the company has put in place.
And if there is one thing that Michael Kors has undeniably taken advantage of, it has to be the fact that the designer and the brand have both benefitted from launching and making use of some of the best public relations and marketing strategies that anyone could think of. But it didn’t grow out of a vacuum.
The success of the Michael Kors brand can be credited, to a large extent, to Project Runway. Being one of the greatest American TV shows to hit the screens, and with millions of viewers, having this brand featured severally on the show as the models would wear Michael Kors propelled the brand to the great height success they now enjoy.
In many ways, Project Runway was It – the thing that propelled Michael Kors to the limelight. Since then, more people were able to a name to the brand, and given the stunning designs of their products, they were soon a household brand that everyone wanted to be associated with.
Since then, the company has had a number of brilliant PR teams and strategists that have seen the expansion of the brand’s catalog beyond bags and ready-to-wear apparel that can be worn on the red carpet to one of the widest ranges of jewelry and accessories.
2. Clever Ads
Working with PR, the marketing team at Michael Kors is, without a doubt, made of creative geniuses that ensure the public is aware of their new product offerings. So, even though MK is more of a mid-range luxury brand, their level of advertising puts them on the same level as brands like Gucci and Prada. They have great photographers working with them, and their ads are well-thought-out.
The sales during the main holidays also make the brand more appealing, and all these make the brand much more appealing.
3. Good Quality bags
Even if you’re not much into their earrings and other kinds of jewelry offered by Michael Kors, it’s likely that you may own or plan to buy one of the idyllic Michael Kors bags. Besides offering a variety of bags for all seasons and styles, Michael Kors also offers bags that are made of the best quality materials and crafted with the highest level of craftsmanship in mind.
The high quality that is associated with Michael Kors bags comes from the fact that MK bags are made of the finest quality Saffiano leather. What you may not know about Saffiano leather is the fact that the leather was originally patented by the infamous Prada. The beauty of this fine-quality leather lies in the fact that it doesn’t tan but features a coating that is seen as the color of the bag. The coating on the leather is what gives the Michael Kors bags their distinctive opaque resin finish and also what makes it possible for you to have the bag in any color of your dreams.
The best part about Saffiano leather and Michael Kors bags is their characteristic cross-hatch waterproof pattern that gives the bags their scratch-resistant nature. The only catch is that this kind of leather treatment is what leaves you with an almost synthetic-looking product – an intentional feature by the brand. Even so, these bags are very sturdy, and they boast the best level of protection against different elements.
Note that you can tell if a Michael Kors bag is genuine or fake by looking at the cross-hatch waterproof pattern – it’s seen in the genuine bags only. In addition to this, you also have the inclusion of the one-piece side panels in the genuine MK bags, not to mention the edging of snig rubber and the fact that the bags feel a little heavy.
In addition to the great quality of their bags, Michael Kors boasts a good range of bags, including totes, snatch bags, shoulder bags, purses, and handbags. And given the available variety, Michael Kors has a bag for every style, event, or occasion. So, if you are looking for functional but elegant and well-made bags, Michael Kors is a great brand that you can work from.
Any customer looking for a sturdy and beautiful luxury bag that is sold at a relatively affordable price can get a bag from Michael Kors. These are essentially the most important things that people look for in brands of handbags and other accessories, and Michael Kors delivers the best of both worlds. And even though you may not be searching for the kind of Michael Kors hardcore statement pieces on the runway, their bags still meet your needs well.
4. Accessible Price Range
One of the things that makes Michael Kors one of the most popular luxury brands has got to be the fact that their range of products is affordable, especially for a designer/ luxury brand.
A look at their bags, for example, shows that most people can afford them – albeit after saving for some time.
With MK bags, whose prices range from around $150 to $300, and with sales for these products running at up to 50% during sales, you can be certain that you can afford a high-quality MK handbag.
5. Wide Product Range
Today, the Michael Kors brand is more than a handbags brand, as they offer a wide collection of seasonal clothes, jewelry, shoes, women’s bags, perfumes, glasses, and watches.
They have taken on a truly American approach, which is to mean that all their collections are designed with the target customers in mind, and they are all beautifully tailored to match different styles and at affordable prices.
The best part is that the brand boasts the creation of well-made products using high-quality materials, and you always know exactly what goes into the products you are purchasing from the brand.
6. Impressive history
Michael Kors is one of the authentic brands of the 21st Century that boasts a great deal of success. Born to a model mom, the fashion designer Michael Kors was exposed to the best of the fashion scene from really early in life.
He went on to quickly develop a great passion and flair for creating stunning clothes, and this saw him shun academics, working in New York retail stores instead, before establishing his own fashion label early in the 80s.
His first store was located at Bergdorf Goodman, the Manhattan department store. He went on to be the designer for Celine, the French Fashion house. But it wasn’t until 2003 that he chose to fully focus on his brand. And though he started out by selling his own clothes from his basement in Long Island, he soon became a household name.
Throughout, Michael Kors has focused on the use of high-quality materials and clean lines,
and his success and the success of the brand have been attributed to the simplicity of his designs, as well as the fact that he stylishly incorporates his unique sense of style in the outfits. And with the creation of durable and stylish bags, among other accessories, as the brand grows and expands, it makes sense that the brand is quite popular today.
7. Works with Celebrities
Though there were some blips in his ascent, Michael Kors brand and designer take pride in winning a number of awards, including the womenswear and menswear designer of the year for 1999 and 2003, respectively – the brand is still the go-to label for Kate Middleton, Michelle Obama, and Angelina Jolie, among other celebrities.
This, among others, is the other reason for the success and the popularity of Michael Kors.
Conclusion
Fashion sells, and people are always attracted to luxury. But when you’re able to bring in great quality luxury pieces and offer them at lower prices than what’s charged by others, especially the high-end luxury brands, you get to make a place for your brand. Well, of course, great marketing plays a role too.
Read more fashion brands here or here!
Stephanie is a jewelry lover when she was a teenager. Her major was fashion design when she was in college. She is a jewelry designer at SOQ Jewelry and other design companies. Now she is also a writer for our website. She writes a lot of designs&brands posts with very actionable tips.