LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Michael Kors (NYSE:KORS), a global luxury lifestyle brand, is delighted
to announce a new partnership with McLaren-Honda, becoming the official
lifestyle partner of the world championship Formula 1 team. Both
McLaren-Honda and Michael Kors celebrate design and speed, with the
partnership strengthening and amplifying both brands’ embodiment of a
fast, jet-set lifestyle.
“Michael Kors and McLaren-Honda are pioneers in their respective spaces,
and we firmly believe that McLaren-Honda is the right partner for our
entry into the Formula 1 racing world,” says John D. Idol, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of Michael Kors. “This is an exciting moment for
us, especially as we continue to grow as a men’s lifestyle brand.”
The Formula 1 audience is a new one for Michael Kors, providing a prime
opportunity to familiarize the European consumer with all facets of the
Michael Kors world. Additionally, the legendary McLaren-Honda brand and
its renowned Formula 1 drivers are an exceptional representation of the
Michael Kors man—sophisticated, international and successful, with an
appreciation for living life in the fast lane.
“We’re delighted to announce a brand-new partnership between McLaren-
Honda and Michael Kors, the world-famous award-winning designer of
luxury accessories and ready-to-wear apparel,” says Ron Dennis,
Executive Chairman and CEO McLaren Group.
He continues, “Like McLaren, which has raced in Formula 1 all over the
world for the past 50 years, Michael Kors is also a truly international
company, operating stylish and successful stores in some of the most
prestigious cities in the world, including New York, Beverly Hills,
Chicago, London, Milan, Paris, Munich, Istanbul, Dubai, Seoul, Tokyo and
Hong Kong.
“Moreover, I firmly believe that the corporate cultures of both McLaren
and Michael Kors encompass a common dynamism and adventurism, as well as
a shared commitment to a similarly relentless pursuit of perfection, and
as such the two brands are extremely well suited to a long-term
partnership. That brand fit is very important to both of us: both
companies have built their reputations on being the very best at what
they do, and, as we now march forward together, we’ll both become
stronger still.”
As the team’s official lifestyle partner, Michael Kors branding will
feature prominently on both the driver overalls and the McLaren-Honda
MP4-31 car.
To celebrate the launch of the partnership, Michael Kors has created a
limited-edition men’s leather jacket. The 50 specially produced black
leather jackets will be sold exclusively on the men’s floor of the new
Michael Kors London flagship store, while supplies last. The jackets
feature both the Michael Kors and McLaren logos, as well as a
limited-edition plaque with each piece’s unique production number.
“This partnership is about the convergence of style and speed, which is
inherent to both the Michael Kors and McLaren-Honda DNA,” says Michael
Kors. “There is an energy, sophistication and confidence to both of our
brands, and we wanted to create a limited-edition piece that spoke to
that.”
About Michael Kors
Michael Kors is a world-renowned, award-winning designer of luxury
accessories and ready-to-wear. His namesake company, established in
1981, currently produces a range of products under Michael Kors
Collection, MICHAEL Michael Kors and Michael Kors Mens, including
accessories, footwear, watches, jewelry, ready-to-wear and a full line
of fragrance products. Michael Kors stores are operated, either directly
or through licensing partners, in some of the most prestigious cities in
the world, including New York, Beverly Hills, Chicago, London, Milan,
Paris, Munich, Istanbul, Dubai, Seoul, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
About McLaren Technology Group
McLaren is globally renowned as one of sport’s most successful
competitors and as one of the world’s most illustrious high-technology
brands.
The McLaren Technology Group has grown to encompass much more than just
motorsport: today it houses McLaren Applied Technologies, which supplies
electronic systems to the entire Formula 1, Indycar and NASCAR grids and
creates cutting-edge solutions for a wide variety of high-tech
industries. McLaren Automotive has established itself as a successful
global company having launched the internationally acclaimed 12C, 650S
and McLaren P1™ high-performance cars.
McLaren-Honda campaigns the 2016 FIA Formula 1 World Championship with
the driver pairing of two-time (2005, 2006) world champion Fernando
Alonso and 2009 world champion Jenson Button. They drive the
McLaren-Honda MP4-31.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements about Michael
Kors and McLaren. You should not place undue reliance on such statements
because they are subject to numerous uncertainties and factors relating
to the operations and business environment of each company, all of which
are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond such company’s
control. Forward-looking statements include information concerning each
company’s possible or assumed future results of operations, including
descriptions of its business strategy. These statements often include
words such as “may”, “will”, ”should”, ”believe”, ”expect”,
”anticipate”, ”intend”, ”plan”, ”estimate” or similar expressions. The
forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on
assumptions that each company has made in light of management’s
experience in the industry as well as its perceptions of historical
trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other
factors that it believes are appropriate under the circumstances. You
should understand that these statements are not guarantees of
performance or results. They involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and assumptions. Although each company believes that these
forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, you
should be aware that many factors could affect its actual financial
results or results of operations and could cause actual results to
differ materially from those in these forward-looking statements. These
factors are more fully discussed in the “Risk Factors” section and
elsewhere in the Michael Kors Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended April 2, 2016 (File No. 001-35368), filed on June 1, 2016
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Source: Michael Kors