london - christopher kane - fall/winter 2008

CHRISTOPHER KANE
london designer christopher kane has managed to elude the "one trick pony" title so easily acquired by his young contemporaries. after he skyrocketed to fame with his graduate collection from central saint martins two years ago, kane has able to progress into not only a designer with brilliant and new ideas, he has also converted those ideas into commercial success. as experimental he is with his designs, the adding of lace, gold rings, tennis ball sized swarovski crystals and paillettes as a decorative material does not overpower his designs. rather it harmonizes the idea and the functionality behind the garment. if most designers either over do or doesn't do enough, kane can push the envelope to its very limit and a millimeter before the border of tacky-ness, he can pull back. that was very much true for his graduate and subsequent debut and sophomore collection, but by last season the wind was beginning to change. the burgeoning sophistication of his clothes, which took root last season, continued with the easy, seductive draping of layers of chiffon on his dresses embroidered with those disc of paillettes. and staying on course with the trend of a longer silhouette in london, kane sent a parade of wispy chiffon dresses that trailed to the ankle but the sheerness and lightness of the fabric gave a glimpse of the legs underneath. the in your face vulgarity of his early ode to versace, leger, and alai bondage dresses might have taken a vacation this past couple of seasons, but one can't knack the feeling that its still there, and maybe when the young designer becomes more confident business wise, it'll explode with as much, or maybe even more energy than that infamous graduate collection.



photo: style.com