.MichaelKors joins forces with emerging accessories brand Ashya on a line of handbags
“Planning for the anniversary last year, and remembering my own start in business, made me think about the challenges that young brands face today,” explains Kors, who chose the young American-Jamaican duo, Ashley Cimone and Moya Annece of the accessories brand Ashya, to create a limited-edition capsule of two exclusive bags.
“After what we’ve been through globally, I think we’re all looking forward to what’s ahead,” adds Kors. “The past few years have really shown us the importance of working together and of supporting our communities. For me that’s fashion, and also New York. Partnering with an up-and-coming brand is a way of fostering that sense of togetherness while welcoming fresh perspectives.”
When it came time to collaborate, the designers switched offices to take in the respective aesthetics and DNA of each brand. Cimone and Annece came to the Michael Kors office in Manhattan and Kors visited their studio in Industry City in Brooklyn. “Both of our brands started out in New York and are very connected to the city, but we also share a curiosity about the world and a love of travel that unites,” mused Kors.
The bags themselves are versions of Ashya’s signature styles; they are unisex and they can be worn in numerous ways, some still yet to be discovered: one of the major appeals to Kors himself. “I love that the bags are streamlined and can be styled in different ways, so they work as well for travel as for stepping out in the city,” he says. Likewise, “Our customers and friends of the brand often inspire new ways of wearing the bags,” explains Cimone.