Dinner’s on Me with Jesse Tyler Ferguson - Side Dish: More with Michael Kors

Episode Date: June 4, 2026

More of my interview with fashion designer Michael Kors. Michael reflects on career setbacks, including filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1993, before eventually IPO’inghis company in 2011 — a run that later put his estimated net worth near $1 billion. Plus, he tells me about going to Studio 54 as a teenager and we reflect on the importance of LGBTQ landmarks like The Stonewall Inn. This episode was recorded at Cafe Commerce on the Upper East Side in NYC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You know those meals that just immediately take you somewhere? Like you take one bite and suddenly you're transported to a backyard. Someone's manning the fryer and everyone's waiting for a taste. That's exactly what Boar's Head has managed to do, but at your deli counter. New from Boar's Head, the friar's turkey breast has the taste of deep-fried turkey. And I mean, it's perfectly seasoned, that golden, savory flavor. It really does that thing where one bite kind of takes over and you're like, oh, okay, this is what we're doing now.

And the best part is you don't have to host anything. You don't have to fry anything. You don't have to politely ask someone else to handle the hot oil, which frankly, I'm always happy to avoid. It's just there at the deli, ready to go. So if you're putting together a sandwich or just standing at the counter deciding what kind of day you're going to have,

the friar's turkey breast is a pretty great choice. Discover the craftsmanship behind every bite at your local Boershead deli counter. Boershead, committed to crafts, It's 1905. In Toronto, every arrival is a statement, and nothing says it better than this. Cadillac Optic was the number one selling luxury EV in Canada for 2025. Find your rhythm across a seamless 33-inch display and an immersive 19 speaker AKG surround audio system.

This city demands agility, and Optic delivers with precision to make every drive extraordinary. Let's take the Cadillac. Find out more at Cadillac Canada.ca. Luxury sales claim based on S&P Global Mobility Canadian New Vehicle Total Registrations for calendar year 2025 for the Cadillac definition of luxury. Hey, I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Here's a little side dish from this week's episode of Dinners on Me. This week's guest is Michael Coors.

You know him as the American fashion designer behind one of the world's most recognizable brands, and as a fan-favored judge on Project Runway, we met up a cafe commerce in Manhattan's West Village. Now, to get back into the conversation, you're pulling up a chair as we talk about how Michael overcame some pretty serious career challenges.

What would your advice be? I always ask people who have had long, successful careers. I know that there were moments of your career where you had, you know, things that weren't going well. Absolutely. There was like bankruptcy. Oh, yeah. Chapter 11.

Chapter 11. I mean, it. It happens. to sometimes see in the moment is, you know, that opportunity to sort of shift perspective and like, like, okay, what do I need to do to see myself through this moment? Which I think you did very well, like taking advice from the industry, shifting to accessories. I mean, you know, I'm like, you know, 10 years later, you know, go public and you're doing very well. It's night a day.

It's night a day. I mean, but seeing yourself through those scary moments. You know what I think the biggest thing? It's funny. And in fashion, it happens. And maybe film is the same. You know, in fashion, we never actually get to live in the time that we're, when we're working on a collection, we're never in the time we're in.

Right. Because we're always ahead. The world doesn't have access to it. No. And we're working on something that people aren't going to see for quite some time. And to me, as I said before, until you. someone actually wears it. It's still not alive.

The baby isn't born. So when you're doing what you creatively are loving doing, there's no, you have no sense of whether or not it's going to be something successful. You don't know. You know, I mean, to a certain degree, you can, of course, you know, say, well, with experience, I think this is going to work or it won't work. But it is, you know, you are throwing spaghetti against the ceiling. Some of it will stick.

Some of it won't. I think the biggest thing for me that has always worked was don't dwell on where you're at right now. Know that this will, I mean, all the cliches are true. This will pass. What's next? Good and bad, by the way. Yes, absolutely. And don't dwell on the, like, oh, the Hosanas.

Yeah. Because that'll pass also. No, for sure. the good thing about not being in your moment in fashion is that, you know what? You're working on what's next. You're always looking. And I remember, you know, at the time thinking to myself, oh, you know, do I have to totally shift gears, you know, going into Chapter 11 and having a financial difficulty. Do I have to shift my perspective of my point of view? Do I have to do something different. And my mom said to me, your greatest talent is ultimately your gut. You have to go with

your gut. Don't second guess yourself. And she was right. She was really right. And know that, you know, it will turn. And maybe it'll take you in a different direction and that's okay. Because life would be boring if it didn't. Right. You know, and you're on to the next thing. Did you ever a moment where you're like, if this doesn't work out, what will I do? You really want to hear a crazy thing about that? When I was a teenager taking acting classes,

and I remember thinking myself, I really can't say I'm the worst dancer in history. Not all gay men can dance. And terrible memorizing a script. And I also thought to myself, if I do this and it doesn't work, I will possibly turn out to be the worst waiter in history. But fashion was something that I always loved. And, I mean, I started drawing when I was four or five. and I thought, if it doesn't work, I love being in a store.

I love being in a store. I get a rush. And I was saying, you know what? I'd be very happy working in a little shop. Like, perfectly fine. I could be Rami and Michelle folding scarves. It would totally work for me. Not a problem.

And so, and I still get juice. Really? Like going into our stores, meeting customers, going to department stores, doing appearances. I like people. Yeah. You know? And so I always thought that's a good thing. And a lot of designers, I think, you know, I always tell them.

Like when they're starting out, I'm like, you've got to spend time talking to people. Or else you're designing in this weird bubble. Yeah. You know, well, how. How do you do what you do unless you're in the world? Yeah. You know? Well, I think fashion and acting are both reflections of what are happening in society.

Absolutely. You know, one is just something that you wear and another thing is something you observe. But like I think, yeah, I think being attuned to what is happening, you know, around you is paramount. I mean, we're sitting here. and here we are on the Upper East Side and you know people would like if you listen to Elaine Stritch singing here is to the ladies for lunch Yeah

You say does that really happen anymore? It's literally hopping right behind me It is happening Jesse right behind you right And no it's different Yeah you know no not a piece of ballers But yes yes it's still going on And how is it shifted how has it changed And if you stay in your

little bubble, you won't grow. Yeah. You know, and maybe what you're doing will only please you. Yeah. Now for a quick break, but don't go away. When we come back, Michael tells me about the LGBTQ history museum he's developing and some iconic New York City run-ins with Amy Sedaris. Okay, be right back. Spring break planning at our house is, uh, it's definitely an adventure. Our kids have very strong opinions and they're always on different sides of the spectrum. Beckett has very strong

opinions about the ocean. It has to be a certain temperature and the wind has to be blowing a certain way if he's going to get anywhere near it. He doesn't want sand on his feet. Sully, on the other hand, he will roll around in the sand and doesn't care about the water temperature and he, you know, he could be just sitting amongst seagulls and he's happy. Justin and I, we just want air conditioning and Wi-Fi, honestly. Juggling all the details of a trip can be very stressful. And while I'm thinking about our plans, I also start thinking about our house while we're away. And it hits me. Maybe we could list our place on Airbnb while we're gone.

It always sounds great. But I don't know if I can manage all the details myself. That's where Airbnb's co-host network comes in. You can hire a vetted local co-host to handle all the behind-the-scenes details, managing reservations, guest communications, and even providing on-site support. So hosting feels manageable, even with everything else. going on. So if you're traveling this spring, it might be the perfect time to list your space on Airbnb and maybe earn a little extra cash while you're gone to put toward that extra future travel

someplace with air conditioning and Wi-Fi. If you're ready to host but could use a little extra help, find a co-host at Airbnb.com slash host. Reeses knows a thing or two about great combinations. Chocolate and peanut butter, obviously, but there's more than one way to Reese's. From Riesces Big Cups with caramel to crunchy Reese's pieces and Reese's miniatures. There's a delicious Rises for every mood. It's the same combo you love, just with more ways to enjoy it. So whether you're snacking, sharing, or just treating yourself, nothing else is Rises. And we're back with more dinners on me.

We are in the midst now when we started having a conversation about the museum. I, of course, was like, it's going to be, you know, how big? I'm thinking it's going to be, you know, enormous. And, you know, steps. Yeah. So I look at the African American Museum in Washington, which initially was a small space.

And we were there right after it opened. And I remember just standing there being knocked out by the story, that were being told in that building. And this is the beginning of just the first step. Yeah. It's like how your career started. You know, you want everything at the beginning. You want it all. You need to learn to like take the small steps and the small victories. Exactly. Exactly. Exactly the same. And go step by step. And, you know, I do. I go back to the idea of it's easy to just agonize and complain.

Yeah. But you know what? I don't want to be Pollyanna, but I'm a realistic Pollyanna. I think we all can do something that is proactive that makes this world a better place for, not just for us, but for future generations. the story. You know, I mean, 20-year-olds don't even know what Stonewall means. They're no idea,

no idea. Right. And so, you know, and you're a groundbreaker. You're a groundbreaking. You know, and when you think about what you brought to young people who are watching you, it's me watching Truman Capote, you know, on television or, you know, or gay characters on television. It was so, you know, you knew that Uncle Arthur on Bewitched was gay. But it wasn't, it wasn't publicly acknowledged. And then slowly we let people feel that they're part of the story. It's remarkable.

It's so important. Thank you. That means a lot. Thank you. Isn't this a light dessert? No, but like, do you know once? I think we were here one night. We were four people.

We ordered the cake. And we couldn't finish it with four people. No way. And then I said to the waiter, I said, have you ever seen a person eat the cake? And he said, a woman. Oh. But that's what she had for dinner. That's all she had.

That was her dinner. That's my lady. I like her. She's my, I would like to get along with her. I was at ABCV a few days ago, but after rehearsal for Truman Capote. And I was at a table by myself. I was working on my script. And Amy Sedaris sat down next to me.

I don't know her super well, but we know each other a little bit. So he said hello. And she was waiting for a friend. So I was, you know, it was like awkward. conversation, but again, like, you know, we know each other a little bit. And she's asking what I was working on, saying Truman Capote. And she's like, oh, you're so skinny and, you know, you're, what part of his life were you playing? I was like, in his 50s when he was, you know, a bloated alcoholic. Like, that's, you know, suspension of disbelief. And so anyway, we have this conversation.

Her friend ends up coming, sits down, they're having their meal together. I order what I thought was going to be, like, maybe one or two chocolate chip cookies, a plate of coffee. A plate of cookies come out. And they put him down. I'm by myself. They put them down in front of me. And I'm praying to God, Amy doesn't look over. And I see her sort of glance over.

And I was like, I was like, don't judge me. And she goes, oh, so you're trying to gain the weight. I love that. Oh, yeah. She, years and years ago, a magazine wanted to throw a dinner for me during fashion week. I think it was glamour. Uh-huh. And they said, who do you want to invite?

and I said, make it eclectic, make it fun. And they were like, well, you know, a little uptown, a little downtown, a little Brooklyn. I said, yeah, mix it all up. So they send me the guest list. And I said, oh, this looks great. And I said, sir, anyone you'd like to meet who you think would be fun to add to the party? And I said, let's invite Amy Sedaris. Perfect.

So Amy came, and Amy looks around at the table and she said, are these Park Avenue socialites? Am I won? I said you are. Now officially you are. I love me. Isn't she great? I love. Now for a quick break, but don't go away.

When we come back, Michael tells me about his early life as a designer and why he decided to quit fashion school, not even a year in. Okay, be right back. How can working at your local Tims take you further? Sure, you can level up your teamwork skills. You also get a chance to receive a Tim Horan scholarship award. Ready for what's next? Apply today at Careers.

Tim Hortons.ca. And we're back with more dinners on Meen. Did you feel like being at FIT that you already sort of knew a lot of what was they were talking about? I assume you would because... That's why I dropped out. You dropped out of like about nine months.

Yeah, nine months. I can't, I mean, I imagine you would just because you were so immersed in it. And I wanted to start working. Yeah. I remember sitting there thinking to myself, I know what I want to do. Right. I'm not trying to find myself.

Why am I spinning my wills? Why am I here? And I remember I had a teacher who I went to. She was a great professor. You know, when we think about the teachers who were meaningful to us in our lives. And I said to her, I said, I'm really, I don't know what to do. I said, but I kind of think I should start working.

Like, what do you think? And she looked at me and she said, she said, you have a point of view already. Right. And she said, you will learn so much on the job. I mean, that's the same with acting, too. You know, you learn your most by just doing. Were you already, like, aware of, like, how to sew?

Oh, God, no, I'm a disaster. Are you? I am. So how would you? Me sewing is the Lucy chocolate factory. Really? No, no, no. It's disastrous.

That's so interesting. Well, I have no patience. Okay. I have none. But you were able to... I could sketch up a storm. Okay. That's what I was going to ask.

I could sketch up a storm. and then I knew, you know, how I wanted clothes to fit, how I wanted things to be finished. You know, I started, you know, selling sketches when I was 16. So it was something that I had already done. But the sewing part, oh my, no, like riotous. I mean, you could have played a young me. you would have been amazing playing a young me trying to thread an industrial sewing machine.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, disastrous. It's totally disastrous. Like going nuts. I love it. I love it. It was a riot. What do you think your point of view came from? I mean, how would you have classified that?

You know, I think number one, we, I think we all are a product of our times. Uh-huh. And, you know, I think that, coming of age in the 70s was really a remarkable time for women and for men and how they engaged with fashion, that, you know, women were getting dressed for work. People cared about comfort, mobility. There was a simplicity to it that was necessary. You know, GQ would come and I'd be like, oh my God, like, you know, give me a jumpsuit, unzipped down.

to the waist I'm ready to go. There was a fluidity from how people looked at sexuality. Things changed. Suddenly it was like, oh, wow, like being gay is actually sort of trendy. Right.

Like this is actually like a good moment. So it's all that. But then of course, I think the city itself inspired me always. And I, I very much, you know, I don't think there's any designer who isn't inspired by their family, either in a good way or a bad way. Sure. Sometimes you want to avoid how they dressed, and sometimes you're inspired.

And I grew up with very opinionated women. everyone was, quite frankly, too young. My mom had me very young. So, and then my aunts were, you know, almost like older sisters. And I saw the different fashion tribes. You know, my mom was sporty, very streamlined, very simple. Then I had an aunt who was full hippie, lived in the East Village. It was all of that.

Then I had another aunt who was trendy. I mean, she wore a bikini top and hip-huggers to my apartment. That's my, oh, my God. Yeah. I mean, she was, so I saw all the different characters. My grandmother was very over-the-top glam. And I kind of... Was there one that you were sort of drawn?

She, like, if you had to, like... I like the mix. I always like the mix, and I still like the mix, because I think that that's human. Yeah. You know, I don't think... any of us, if hopefully, we're not so one-dimensional, that to me it's sort of, you know, I like potato chips and I like caviar.

Mm-hmm. You know, like... They're great together. Together, it's... Nothing could be better. So I like glamour, but then I'm casual. Yeah. So I like both.

And it's always been that way for me. What were you like as a kid in New York? I mean, were you out? Were you dating? Were you... I was... So, when I was... 18,

when I hit FIT, it was like, okay. Game on. Game on. That's how I was at musical theater. When I came to New York from musical theater school, yeah? Fully game on.

Same. Now, and, I mean, it's truly insane to think about this, but I didn't. go to my high school prom. Instead, I went to Studio 54 for the first time. Incredible. I don't know why they let me in.

How old were you? 17. Okay. I mean, they're kind of letting people in around 18, right? You were cute. You were young. Dressed a little crazy. Yeah.

And then you went. Yeah. And I remember, like, looking around and thinking, this is it. This is it. Who'd you see that? Truman Fote. I was going to say.

Of course. Of course. Yeah. Actually, Truman in the DJ booth. Yeah. That's a part of the play. It's like, he says, my favorite place is to sit in the DJ booth. I like to think about all the dead people who would have loved it.

True Luzza Trek and Cleopatra. Correct. Paul Porter. He would have loved it. I actually think, you know, we would go in, we'd walk in, and we would arrive. Like, this is by now, it's like me and my posse. and we would borrow each other's clothes because we always wanted a new outfit

and you'd walk in and we would like lay on the banquettes that had like reserved signs and we would lay there and they would walk over and say excuse me but this is reserved and we'd be like yes we know it's our table

and they'd be like and you are and we'd be like we're models we're always say we're models and but you know you'd see Halston there and you'd see Calvin Klein there and you'd see Bianca Jagger and you'd see Truman Capote and it was just like the mix of people

and then students you know I mean it was that's what made it was like going to a dinner party where the mix of people is so kind of electric and I actually remember there was an Issymiyaki fashion show at Studio 54.

And the models came out with sparklers in their hair to the disco version of, if my friends could see me now. Oh, my God. Genius. And we were up in the balcony. We're all fashion students cheering, screaming. Losing your minds. Losing our minds.

we were like, and kind of you thought to yourself, yeah, if they could see me now. You know, like that song would come up and we would go nuts, totally nuts. And most of the people who I met at school, the inner circle, we're all still friends. Yeah. We stayed friends. You know, we went through it all together and, you know, it was, you know, it was, a remarkable entree. But yeah, I mean, it was game.

Certainly game on. I remember, though, going to acting school for my one year, I was 14. Yeah. And it was in the village. And I remember it was sort of like handlebar mustaches, you know, guys with, you know, buzzcuts,

big mustaches and all. And they're all checking us, me and my best friend, the two of us going to acting class together, they're checking us out. And I remember thinking, God, these guys are so old. And they were probably 23. Yeah.

But we were 14. So there was fear. Right. There was definitely fear. But 18, it was like, no, hit the ground running. That's incredible. So I like both. And it's always been that way for me.

That was more from my conversation with Michael Coors. If you haven't heard our full conversation yet, make sure to check it out on Diner's on Me. This episode of Dinners on Me was recorded. ordered at Cafe Commerce on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Next week on Dinner's On Me, you know him from The Big Bang Theory, and he's currently on The Audacity on AMC. It's Simon Helberg. We'll get into scene-stealing brilliance on The Big Bang Theory,

and his transition from sitcom stardom to more nuanced characters on prestige TV and film. Dinner's On Me is a production of Sony music entertainment and a kid named Beckett Productions. It's hosted by me, Jesse Tyler Ferguson. It's executive produced by me and Jonathan Hirsch. Our showrunner is Joanna Clay. Our associate producer is Alyssa Midcalf.

Sam Baer engineered this episode. Hans Dale She composed our theme music. Our head of production is Sammy Allison. Special thanks to Tamika Balanced Kalasni and Justin McKita. I'm Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Join me next week. Hey, y'all. I'm Maddie.

And I'm poodle. And together we host the podcast Reality Gays. We are two ridiculous homosexuals who love nothing more than talking about reality television and tearing in a new one. So whether it's 90-day fiancé, love is blind, love after lockup, or any other trash TV show about lonely hearts looking for love, your gay besties got you cover, Joe. New shows every week. Follow and listen to reality gays wherever you get your podcast.