The big buzz show of London Fashion Week, at least in the past few years, is Christopher Kane. This season the Scottish wunderkind went for Reptilian Roll, a prehistoric romp that was thoroughly inventive albeit stylistically taxing...
With every second dress and top cut with multiple scallop trim, sleeves and edges, the collection had a lizard like quality from the sensational opening look, an orange animal print sponge wool sweater over a jagged edged yellow leather skirt.
Kane paired this opening salvo with similarly themed leather frock coats and bomber jackets, all worn over some sensational looking armadillo-styled, spiky-heeled platforms. He took a similar tack for night, with the curvy edges used on super delicate chiffon and silk mini cocktails, long gowns and peg legs pants.
The effect was strangely amphibian-like, yet also posh and oddly futuristic. The models looked like attendees at a fabulous ball taking place on a distant galaxy.
"Christopher kept saying he wanted pre-historic, so we went back a long way in time, passed through 'Planet of the Apes' and we then back into the future," explained his design partner and sister Tammy.
With animal noises and tropical jungle calls gurgling on the techno soundtrack, Kane had produced some great courtly dresses but with bizarre breastplates featuring images of screaming monkeys.
Yet, though very fresh and inventive, this was not quite a great collection or fashion moment. The clothes were just a tad too similar, and a little too improbable. So though Christopher Kane remains London's richest fashion imagination, this season his vision got the better of him.
photos courtesy of Fashion Wire Daily
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