B Michael Launches First Designer Ready to Wear Collection

Michael’s lifestyle-inspired designer ready-to-wear line was created with design insight from his coveted couture collection.

NEXT CHAPTER: B Michael is looking to claim a piece of the ready-to-wear retail luxury business widely spread pie. The American designer, who privately retails a namesake couture collection from his NYC atelier, has launched his first designer ready-to-wear collection, lifestyle-inspired for autumn winter 2017 with design insight from his coveted couture collection. Unlike with his couture, B Michael will wholesale the new designer ready-to-wear collection — with buyers’ meetings already underway with the help of Marvin Traub Associates.

The line, priced competitively for the luxury designer ready-to-wear space, will be produced in New York.

Andrea Thurlow, a former pattern-maker at Jasper Conran in London joined the team as head pattern-maker for the new designer ready-to-wear collection. Laura Hall, Operating Partner Marvin Traub Associates, a former division senior vice president at Burberry and later division president at Ralph Lauren, worked closely with B Michael on merchandising the new designer ready-to-wear collection.

B Michael said of the launch: “I realized I had an opportunity and almost responsibility to dress the women who have been asking me to design a ready to wear collection for years,” says Michael about his a-ha moment.

“I feel very creatively stimulated,” he continued. “Ready-to-wear is the next challenge and what I feel I have been yearning to create for some time. It’s as though I’ve hit the re-set button on my creative process and brand.”