In which town on Long Island did Michael Kors grow up?

Michael Kors grew up in Merrick, a suburban town on Long Island, New York.

He was born Karl Anderson Jr. in 1959. His mother, Joan Hamburger, had been a model, and the family lived in Merrick during his childhood. The town is in Nassau County, roughly 23 miles from New York City, placing Kors close to the fashion capital that would later shape his career.

A common mix-up is confusing Merrick with Bellmore: Kors graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in nearby Bellmore, but he grew up in Merrick. Another source of confusion is Long Island itself, which is often given as his birthplace or broader hometown in short biographies.

Kors showed an early interest in design, reportedly advising his mother on her wedding dress at age five. He later moved into Manhattan, attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, and launched his own women’s collection in 1981.