Michael Kors’ History
In 1981, the one and only Michael Kors established his brand. Using his namesake, Kors produced a wide range of chic apparel and accessories. Kors is known for his accolades, philanthropy and sophisticated designs that altered the luxury lifestyle wardrobe. Through the years, Michael Kors has grown into a household name, stealing the hearts of millions of American consumers.
The brand has often catered to a more mature audience, but recently there has been a slight shift towards a younger demographic. Her Campus Kent State University had the privilege of attending a Michael Kors Event at the Aurora Farms Outlets in Aurora, Ohio. The goal of the event was to engage with the Gen Z audience and build a bridge between young adults and the Micheal Kors company.
Gen Z is always on the go! We’re creating innovative and culturally impactful ideas and products seemingly on a daily basis. Michael Kors once said “I design for women and men who need clothing and accessories that can keep up with their fast-paced lives and make them feel like their best selves.” The Michael Kors mission is simply to make their customers look chic and sophisticated, while feeling confident in their skin, and is one the young adult will find deeply intriguing.
Their New approach
It’s been notable in the last few years that Michael Kors has decided to take a more Gen-Z-centered approach to their marketing. Michael Kors has been using social media and other similar popular lanes of communication to connect to younger audience members for a while now. In 2024, Michael Kors was mentioned to have had successful engagement in terms of social media for New York Fashion Week.
Similarly, in 2024 Michael Kors did a strategic marketing partnership with OK COOL to launch their Colby Bag to Gen Z. According to OK COOL, “…we knew we had to appeal to this audience through the lens of creators. We identified various niches and sub-cultures that appeal to the brand and the product – from the fashionistas to artists creating innovating content on TikTok.”
In an interview with Mary Beth Koehler, the store manager at the Michael Kors Outlet in Aurora Farms Premium Outlets in Aurora, Ohio, we learned about Michael Kors’ continuation of their approach to connecting with younger audiences, this time through working with colleges and campuses to target Gen-Z.
Very recently, Michael Kors has collaborated with Amazon Ads to create a back-to-school event for Gen Z students heading to college. The campaign launched July 1, 2026, with multiple features including immersive brand store pages on Amazon.com and Amazon Influencers packages that use creator content to bring in engagement and awareness to the brands.
On Sept. 5, 2026, the campaign moved to the University of Wisconsin-Madison with Michael Kors creating “a student Jet Set Lounge featuring a giant inflatable handbag, photo booth and a charm personalization bar.”
Between this event and the Michael Kors x Kent State University event in Aurora, Ohio, it’s clear that Michael Kors is using campuses as a means of connecting to these younger audiences.
Michael Kors X Kent state university
With this new, Gen Z centered approach in mind, Michael Kors decided to partner with Kent State University for their latest event. By partnering with universities such as Kent State, it provides a better opportunity for Michael Kors to outreach to Gen Z and connect with a new audience.
The back-to-school event was held on Saturday, Aug. 29, at the Michael Kors Outlet in Aurora Farms Premium Outlets in Aurora, Ohio. The event, lasting from 12-3 p.m., featured a DJ, refreshments consisting of mocktails and Crumbl Cookies and a free fashion illustration from OC Illustration with a student ID or purchase.
In addition, people were welcome to shop around the store and purchase any of the clothes, bags or other items, including their new, limited edition Sammy bag. It was the perfect opportunity for students and Gen Z in general to connect with Michael Kors and explore their brand and products.
Going further than simply hosting the event, the outlet store personally invited Her Campus at Kent State to come check out the event and promote it on their platforms. The company and organization even created a collab post to recap the event.
This shows Michael Kors’ dedication to their new marketing approach by not only partnering with universities, but also collaborating with specific university affiliated organizations in order to reach their target market within the younger generation.
Overall, the event was successful and expertly executed. Through its activities, the company was able to encapsulate the new, Gen Z centered marketing approach while also keeping the core style and sophistication of the brand, paving the way for new connections and a new audience.