*Birth name: Karl Anderson Jr.

*Born in Long Island, NY-Jewish and Swedish descent

*At the age of 5, he legally changed his own name to Michael David Kors after mother got remarried and suggested it

*Created and sold his first line of clothes in his basement that he named “Iron Butterfly”

*Dropped out of the Fashion Institute of Technology after 9 months after a french boutique called Lothar’s offered him the opportunity to design for them

*In 1981 created his women’s sportswear line for Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue

*In 1990 filed chapter 11 bankruptcy

*In 1996 teamed up with Onward Kashiyama (brand factory) for a revamp of his women’s line

*In 1997-2004 was the first ever women’s ready to wear designer and creative director for French house Celine

*2002 launched menswear and enters the Japanese market

*In 2004 became a judge on Project Runway for 5 seasons

*In the 2006 creates children’s line

*In 2011 he opens his 1st and largest flagship store in Paris (over 7,000 ft)

*Designed Michelle Obama’s dress for her first official portrait for the white house

**Fun Fact: When he was younger, Michael Kors was discovered at birthday party by a tv producer and appeared in commercials for Lucky Charms and Charmin.

www.vogue.com; biography.com