Kate Hudson's Dazzling 15-Minute Drive-By at the Michael Kors Party

Kate Hudson and Michael Kors at the designer’s Soho boutique. Photo: Getty Images

Kate Hudson is a pro.

The movie star arrived at Michael Kors’ new Soho flagship in a leopard print coat, which she doffed immediately to reveal a black figure-hugging jumpsuit. She stepped onto the red carpet and posed with a radiant swish-swish motion—her hair, her limbs, her smile all tilted at just the right angle. The actress, who co-founded a line of Fabletics athletic gear and can currently be seen showing off her rock hard abs on the cover of Shape, looked phenomenal in the sophisticated one piece which featured spaghetti strap tank top and flared trousers. She kept the look simple by adding a black belt and black clutch. After she worked it for the cameras, she zoomed up the boutique’s gleaming stairs, surrounded by a PR machine that encircles her the way elephants do to their babies when a lion appears.

Hudson and Company (note to self: make this the name of your new retro rock band) entered a makeshift studio in the middle of the store, walled off by black cardboard and helmed by photographer Victor Demarchelier. (Yes, “Get me Demarchelier” is his father.) Mr. Kors himself arrives dressed in a black blazer and a halo of popping flashbulbs. He posed with Kate wearing his new sunglass style—The Miranda, very classic, very cool—as security guards and publicists yelled “no photos” to the gathering iPhone crowd. (“No photos at a photo shoot” is very meta, don’t you think?)

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Kate Hudson in a Michael Kors jumpsuit. Photo: Getty Images

Being a) gorgeous b) a movie star who’s done this a zillion times before c) in perfect clothes because, hello, Michael Kors, Kate Hudson nailed the shot in mere minutes. The leopard print coat went back on. The Circle of Trust, or whatever, was reinstated. Kate Hudson then left the building. And now we can do what we came to do (besides talk to Kate Hudson, but oops, that’s not happening)—celebrate the new clothing collection.

“Wasn’t it gorgeous?” asks Alison Williams, who appeared front-row earlier in a brightly colored sundress—despite the 5 degree windchill. “Actually, the dress was what helped me not feel so cold,” she grinned. “It’s a strategy I use. Some cold days, I just feel like wearing black, grey, monochrome. But some days, I’m like, “Ok, the only way I’m going to be able to pull myself out of this thick tundra is by dressing as if I’m not cold. I’ll wear bright clothing and I’ll try to wear less layers.’ I’m not a method actress but I do see the connection!” We couldn’t resist asking her about her Girls character, Marni. “I have to say, I’m really proud of Marni because she gave Hannah some really good advice about her breakup with Adam,” Williams beamed. “She really had a great moment, friend-to-friend, and she doesn’t get a lot of those. She always looks like the bad guy.” Yes, but if Lena Dunham let her wear more Michael Kors on camera, she’d at least look like the bad guy with the best wardrobe ever.

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Alison Williams at the Michael Kors party. Photo: Getty Images

Then we asked Mr. Kors himself about the emerging (maddening?) trend of “ath-leisure,” aka sweat-pants-as-couture. “Listen, I’m all about things that are built for speed and mobility,” said the design mogul. “But I love glamour and I love luxury. I don’t know if the world needs to live in yoga pants. But in life today, we’re running around, we’re doing a million things, you want to be able to get off a plane and look great; go to work and look great. You should be able to do your job and live your life and still look great, and feel great. So luxury and the ability to live your life can—and should—co-exist.”

Does Hudson embody that ideal for Kors? “You know what? She’s talented, she’s beautiful, she’s a great mom, she’s got a great sense of humor, she’s got a great sense of style—she’s a real juggler. And I have to say, those kinds of women are always intriguing to me.”

Apparently, they’re intriguing to everyone else, too—despite the “no photos” policy, Instagram was littered with shots of Hudson and Kors doing their fabulous thing all night long.

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