Christopher Kane and Erdem add retro opulence at London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week roared into its fourth day on Monday with Christopher Kane showing his signature sexy style and Erdem emphasising retro glamour.
Christopher Kane raises whimsical to an art form
Christopher Kane mixed it all up Monday at London Fashion Week, showing a wide array of outfits, with some emphasising florals to others that were sheer, lacy and revealing.
He described the show as built on “ideas of the prime and the perverse” — referencing 1940s housecoats, using lingerie as outerwear and creating a new silhouette that blended the 1940s with the 1970s.
The outfits used strong colours — reds, pinks and yellows, among other hues — and showed off whimsical touches, including ones that seemed to be held together by metallic clothes pins.
The celebrity filled audience loved it.
“I loved it being so English, being about washing machines and clothes pegs and everything like that,” top hatmaker Stephen Jones said. “British. Domestic.”
Actress Salma Hayek called Kane’s new collection sexy and appreciated the “slip dresses that were so feminine.”
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“It was great,” she said. “It was glittery romantic, but at the same time it had drama and sophistication and not too sweet, sweet, sweet. You know, it has a little bit of a punch. And sexy, sexy.”
Erdem produces sparkly glam
Canada-born designer Erdem Moralioglu has turned the Old Selfridges Hotel into a glamorous speakeasy for his London Fashion Week show.
With song classics “Stormy Monday” and “My Funny Valentine” playing in the background, the Erdem fashion house displayed glamorous, full-length evening gowns with long jewelled gloves and sparkly accessories.
Many outfits had floral themes and remarkable detailing, adding to the show’s exuberance and opulence. Some even had feathers carefully attached. The palette embraced bold greens, pale pinks and yellow, strongly using colours throughout. There was no hiding behind solid black for Erdem.
While many designers are showing more and more skin, Erdem opted for a subtle celebration of feminine beauty. There were some sheer and lacy outfits, but most were more modest, with either high necklines or sweetheart ones.
The effect was entrancing. Nostalgia was in the air — the programme featured a photograph of Queen Elizabeth II meeting Duke Ellington in 1958 — and the dramatic presentation artfully evoked the Big Band era.
Christopher Kane shows signature style, Erdem emphasises the old world