Michael Kors debuted his spring/summer 2020 collection, which drew inspiration from the 1940s, American culture, and took a stab at Trump-era politics at his show during New York Fashion Week.

The Young People's Chorus of New York City belted classic American songs as models strutted down the runway wearing 1940s inspired looks. The inspiration for the collection, he told Vogue, came from his summer visit to Ellis Island with husband Lance LePere. There, he learned about American history and his own family's experience with immigration. "It made me feel more patriotic, more open," Kors said of the experience.

The 40s inspiration was drawn from Kors's belief that World War 2 was the last time that the country felt united. He stated, "The world was in upheaval, and Americans rolled up their sleeves and got to work."

Staged at a warehouse at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the location of the show paid homage to the millions of American women who went to work for the first time. The Brooklyn Navy Yard played a large role during the war, being a location where a lot of the behind-the-scenes work got done to support the troops overseas.

Anybody familiar with Kors' work understands that he is no pessimist, and it shows in his collections. The period was reimagined in his own way, a palette of red, white and blue. Prints drew references from classic American culture, including cherries and lemons that brought an upbeat feel to the collection.

Richard Drew, Associated Press

New techniques were used to create a classic period in American history with a modern feel. While classic silhouttes played a major role in the collection, Kors spun it into something new by adding metal studding, To make the collection ever more present and 'now,' Kors added the statement tee seen around the world. Cut into cashmere, the word hate was crossed out on the front of the red, white and blue sweater.

Most notably, the patriotic collection was presented on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center. Of this, he later tweeted, "I am a native New Yorker and I wanted this show to highlight the strength and optimism and can-do attitude of our city.