Michael Kors and Bette Midler Bring a Brooklyn Garden to Life

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Even though greenery and nature are hard to come by in New York City, Michael Kors found a way to bring life to a small garden in Brooklyn, in partnership with the New York Restoration Project (NYRP). The legendary designer, along with his husband Lance LePere and singer-actress Bette Midler, helped cut the ribbon for the newly restored green space, called the Essex Street Community Garden last night. To celebrate the start of the summer solstice, they also hosted a block party complete with food trucks, face painting, and live music.

To open the festival, NYRP Executive Director Deborah Marton explained in the opening speech that gardens not only provide a creative outlet and way to decrease crime in surrounding neighborhoods, but most of all foster a strong sense of community. The garden was a passion project for Kors and LePere, who have worked with NYRP for the last 21 years after being introduced by Midler to the grassroots organization.

“I’ve been a lifelong fan and longtime friend of Bette, and I find the work she has done with NYRP endlessly inspiring,” Kors tells CR. “I’m the ultimate city guy, but sometimes a little bit of nature is exactly what I need to refuel and relax—and that feeling is something every New Yorker should be able to experience, no matter where they live. What I love about these gardens is that they really bring the community together.”

The 3,200-square-foot green space is the first New York community garden that is entirely solar-powered, featuring Wi-Fi, a projection screen, and greenery that was planted by Kors and other community members themselves. The garden, one of 52 that NYRP installed around the city, will be an intended haven for weddings, yoga classes, movie screenings, and more celebrations to come, bringing together locals into a shared space.

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createdAt:Fri, 22 Jun 2018 22:06:43 +0000
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