As designers continued to cancel their shows during London Fashion Week, which fell during late Queen Elizabeth II’s mourning period, the fashion pack prayed that Christopher Kane Spring Summer 2023 would remain on the schedule. Keeping everything crossed must have worked a trick, because Sunday night saw the return of one of London’s boldest talents to the Roundhouse venue in Camden, North London – a space more often used for concerts and gigs.
As fans of the Scottish designer lined up around the block in a queue that rivalled The Queue further south, there was a buzz about what would be revealed. Christopher Kane shows are always a mystery.
Kane is known for some repeated tropes… there’s a love of latex, science-book illustrations and body-consiocus silhouettes… but each season brings an alchemical sense of magic to the mix. Show-goers can never guess what the collection will comprise. And after a few seasons away from the catwalk, when Kane concentrated on artwork and, you know, took an enforced break during the pandemic, to say guests were excited is putting it mildly.
So, what did we see? For Christopher Kane Spring Summer 2023, there were some hints of Kane’s greatest hits on a buttermilk-coloured dress made from square panels of sheer organza, cut-out flower prints spread over a clear latex dress and clear vinyl straps snaking over the front and the backs of corset-style pieces… but this was far from greatest hits retrospective.
Always forward thinking, the weirdest inspiration points seem to make perfect sense under Kane’s lens. See the scientific diagrams of anatomy transplanted onto silk dresses or cut away bra-cups that looked like Cady Heron’s best cut-work on Regina George’s tank top. A floral twinset was teamed with a pleated midi skirt that came encased in a vinyl panel to ensure it was miles away from granny’s favourite outfit while mint panels of latex were worked into a neat skirt suit, but edged with white lace for a subversive mix of textures and moods.
Exhilarating and surprising, it was the kind of collection that made the audience think about their existing wardrobes and will resonate across your own outfit choices for seasons to come. We’re ready for it, are you?
Read more from Glamour UK Fashion Director at large Alex Fullerton here or follow her on Instagram