Happy 10th anniversary Christopher Kane!

This year seems to be a year of celebrations, as many designer toast to their tenth decade in fashion. Christopher Kane is one of the lucky ones who have reached the milestone and so his SS17 collection was a walk down memory lane, revisiting his archives and best hits, not rehashing what he has done before, but instead pushing the designs further than he has he first time around. It was make-do-mend for the 21st century. The rope dress of SS15 was reimagined as a print, the cut outs and sheer overlays made so popular by the designer at his SS10 gingham collection and more recently at SS15 now feature on longer dresses in pleated lamé in the richest shimmering colours, the trophy jumper was there again, this time proclaiming ’Christopher, our guide’ around a religious image, while SS12 floral appliqué was blown up and became more graphic on skirts, coats and dresses. Black lace overlays had their own cameo too. Tying it all together was a polaroid print showing Kane’s best memories from the past ten years. This time around, the collection as more grown up, more refined, yet still with the punch and tongue-in-cheek humour Kane does best.

Saints and sinners

Now, Christopher Kane’s clothing is not always one for the good girl. Remember the naked silhouettes of AW15 or the sexual flower anatomy collection of SS14? For SS17, however, as guests sat down at the Tate Britain venue, their press releases were accompanied by little images of saints. Religious images also appeared on tops held together by metal rings and punched through with giant grommets. Paired with a skirt fashioned completely out of metal circles and rough mineral stones, or one with a super high slit, it wasn’t very Sunday school. Referencing a Roman Catholic shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes near his childhood home in Carfin, Scotland, one might wonder what young Kane got up to there. But then, really, who cares when the clothes are this good!

Let’s talk about Crocs

Yup, the rubber shoes the whole fashion crowd cringes at when they see them on the street. Well, not even just the fashion crowd, more like everyone who does not own a pair. So why is such terrifying piece of footwear mentioned in relation to the beloved London provocateur? Truly living up to his status in the industry, Kane decided to put the horrific shoe (can you even call it one?) on his SS17 runway and give it a fashion upgrade. Whether Crocs will become the new it shoe (please fashion gods, do not let this happen!) is very debatable, but kudos to Kane for taking potentially the biggest risk in fashion ever. They came in marble effect and wet finish, in blues, browns, greys and yellows, huge rocks and stones (which also featured on other footwear, necklaces and as charms on bags) stuck into their unmistakable holes. It was quite odd. But then, actually, the more and more you look at them…