Superstar designer Christopher Kane’s show is the one nobody can bear to miss – and it felt just as exciting as we wanted it to today as we took our seats along the way from Anna Wintour, Philip Green and Donatella Versace – all sitting and chatting fashion together. Joan Collins was there too – we wondered what she’d look like in one of Kane’s masterpieces – the famous gorilla dress maybe?
So what did Kane come up with this time? This, ladies and gentleman, shall become known as the check collection. Blue, pink, or brown and white tablecloth checks made up pencil skirts with splits over each thigh or dresses with chiffon panelled bra cups and cutaways over the waist or under the arms.
These were deliciously pretty milkmaids, but Kane’s tailoring skill was emphasised via nude chiffon bodywork to bring the collection to a higher level of sophistication – while high waisted skirts below girlish checked tops with short gathered sleeves were perfect flirting material.
Loose cashmere tops had the same flesh-glimpsing cutaways, or came prim and tight featuring the same baby pink and white check. It was a clever combination of structure with fluidity accentuated by lightly pleated skirt panels that rippled as the models walked – and it got even better when pale yellow, blue and nude chiffon was embroidered with white sequinned florals for beautifully light dresses whose femininity was accentuated when combined with expertly tailored blazers.
“I loved it,” said Ruth Chapman of Matches after the show. “The pink was just gorgeous.” And head buyer Bridget Cosgrove agreed : “He’s so clever to do something so different again, it was really fresh,” she said. “I saw the pre collection and it was lovely, but nothing like this. I love the way he fits the clothes to the body so expertly but then opens it out below the waist – it’s so pretty and so wearable. He’s brilliant.”