Michael Kors welcomed a packed front row of celebrities to the Metropolitan Opera House on Thursday evening for his fall 2026 show, which also happened to be his 45th anniversary.
Stars included Dakota Fanning, Gabrielle Union-Wade, Kelsea Ballerini, Mary J. Blige, Leslie Bibb, Jenny Slate, Kate Mara, Uma Thurman, Rachel Zegler, Ben Platt, Lea Michele, Nicholas Christopher, Supriya Ganesh, Ariana DeBose, Nicole Scherzinger, Jane Krakowski, Suki Waterhouse, Olivia Munn and more.
Fanning was wearing a silky tank dress that she deemed “easy and chic to wear” after trying on a few options, which thankfully did come with a coat out of sight.
“I just think it’s so classic and easy to wear every day, anytime of day, and I’m thrilled to see the show,” she said of the brand.
Fanning was soon heading back to the warmth of Los Angeles, where she’ll be for Oscars season cheering on sister Elle, nominated for “Sentimental Value.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m so excited. We are thrilled. We cannot wait,” she said.
Suki Waterhouse, Uma Thurman and Dakota Fanning.
Gilbert Flores/WWD
Michele was in attendance with “Chess” costar Christopher, in the hours leading up to another performance of their hit Broadway show.
“The music is just so extraordinary to sing every night, to perform. Audiences are having such a great time,” she said of the show. “It’s obviously set during the Cold War; there is a love triangle in the midst of a heated chess rivalry, and it’s just thrilling. It’s one of the most incredible opportunities I’ve ever had in my life.”
Michele’s routine to wind down at the end of every night after a show is “actually pretty easy.”
“I go home, I take a nice long shower and I do the same thing after ‘Chess’ at night that I did every night after ‘Funny Girl,’ which is I make sourdough toast, in my kitchen at night,” she said. “Butter and salt, it’s perfect. So decadent. And that’s my favorite.”
Jenny Slate, Kate Mara, Ben Platt and Rachel Zegler.
Gilbert Flores/WWD
Union-Wade has a long relationship with Michael Kors, having attended several Met Galas with the brand.
“He knows women’s bodies and you don’t have to be a double zero to enjoy his brand. It feels a lot more inclusive than some other brands,” she said. “It’s chic, it’s sexy. It allows you to feel very well put together without a lot of thought.”
The actor, who has animated film “GOAT” out Friday, said the rest of her Valentine’s Day weekend plans with husband Dwyane Wade are less than romantic.
“It’s All-Star weekend,” she said. “Every Valentine’s Day. Nothing says romance like the dunk contest.”