christopher kane

The overflow of designers and collections at New York Fashion Week can lead to state of fatigue that can result in a week pause until the Milan collections. That's a mistake because London has become an interesting mecca for designers trying to push fashion as far as it can go. At times I find it to be a hipster parade of costumes (see Henry Holland), but Christopher Kane's fall collection was tight, loose, and very focused. The thread of the paillette beading was there in almost every look, or the idea of something circular, but it was a balance between something innately glamorous and utterly modern that made it a standout amidst the fray.

Kane initially broke out on the London fashion scene as an heir to a Versace look--very bright, very body conscious sexy. He even had Donatella's approval, but in recent seasons he's loosened up the shape without forgetting the body. For all rigorous beading and intense leather accents, there was a softness in the English Rose primness of a jacket and skirt set or an exaggerated cable knit turtleneck. The look was tough and sensual when leather pants became the lean steam for the silhouette on the bottom and sheer bits of fabric exposed flashes of flesh here and there. The short beaded shift dresses reminded me of Audrey Hepburn in the final scene of "Two for the Road", but felt new with panels of floaty material falling over the dresses. The neutral color palette was sedated and necessary in a collection where so much emphasis was put on construction and subtle embellishment. A sense of movement in the evening looks were unique and achieved the effect of smoke pluming around the body.

There was something to look at and find more surprising in each look. It's a hard act as a young designer when each collection is more crucial than the next, but Kane's fall collection showed a strength and a point of view worth watching season after season.