Michael Kors offers sporty glam

A model presents a creation from the Michael Kors Fall/Winter 2012 collection during New York Fashion Week February 15, 2012.[Photo/Agencies]

The last bit of advice Michael Kors had for models at his New York Fashion Week show on Wednesday before they stepped out on to the runway: "Kill them with your chic."

He had those instructions on a poster just as they walked in front of a crowd that included Jessica Alba, Debra Messing and Anjelica Huston.

Kors starts his fashion shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week with a couple — men's and women's clothes on the runway — and for this fall season they were in his-and-her red-check outfits. He wore a tartan plaid coat and checkered trousers, she had on a fringed blanket coat in the lumberjack-style check pattern also known as buffalo check, with a cashmere tweed sweater and cashmere short shorts.

Their wardrobe, which also included a sexy, luxe glove-leather trenchcoat for her, and suede utility pants for him, was all about "sporty American glamour," Kors explained.

"I thought about the '30s and those glamorous Hollywood couples — the Clark Gables and Carole Lombards," he said in an interview backstage.

Modern jet-setters want clothes for a life that is sometimes sporty, sometimes dressy, but always sophisticated. There was a loose ski motif through this collection, although Kors said he was more concerned with the apres-ski life at the lodge that he favors more than the slopes themselves.

But his muse might be headed to Aspen, Colo., from Shanghai or London, and her wardrobe needs to reflect that, he said. The black wool sleeveless peacoat that goes over a black beaded lace dress, or a camel-colored plaid mohair coat with a mohair sweater and plaid cropped pants seem like outfits that would fit into her life.

The black capelet jacket (a short cape) and pencil skirt, made of soft double-face cashgora (a mix of cashmere and angora) would take her anywhere. The black-and-ivory mohair dress with a feather skirt might be harder to pack, but would be worth trying.

His wardrobe is simpler, but heavy on the overcoats and slim, slightly short pants.

"Anywhere Michael goes, I go," said Messing. "Michael is my guy. We joke and say that we're third cousins, fourth times removed or something because we just clicked and I consider him a friend now, and you know I still am shocked that every collection there's always something that is fresh and new and forward-thinking, and yet still classic and strong and chic, and makes me feel like he designed it just for me."