It’s been too long since the world was blessed with a collection from Christopher Kane. Too long, we say! Kane’s namesake brand shut down in 2023 and aside from designing a capsule collection of fabulous party and evening dresses for Self-Portrait in 2024, he has been laying low ever since.
But not anymore! On Sunday, Kane showed his first collection for British brand Mulberry and boy was it a strong one!
The presentation opened with a boxy, gray leather coat secured with large tabs that didn’t quite overlap, allowing for alluring peekaboos of skin, followed soon after by a fabulous gray leather suit with daring cut-outs on the front of the skirt. The silhouette felt mature and almost corporate, while the use of leather along with the tabs and cutouts turned it into something out of a Luc Besson film.
And yet, the clothes in Kane’s collection never felt costumey. In fact, the entire collection felt incredibly wearable. Sexy, cool, and, at times, futuristic, but grown up and very much grounded in reality. The black pieces in the second half of the show were particularly successful, especially the leathers, which makes sense, given that Mulberry is, first and foremost, an accessories brand.
To that end, Kane updated existing bags with more fashion-forward and luxe textures and colors, while also introducing two new silhouettes: the Axe and the Chop, which added a freshness and edge to the brand’s otherwise quite soft and familiar lineup.
Kane’s attempts to integrate the brand’s archives through resurrected plaid and floral prints felt less compelling in most cases — though the plastic plaid coat was nice — as did the parkas sprinkled throughout the collection.
But it was a fabulous debut overall, especially considering Kane and his sister — longtime design and business partner Tammy Kane — didn’t officially arrive at the brand until early this summer . If this is what they can produce in just a few months with an entirely new team, imagine what epicness is in store for Fall 2027.
Check out the rest of the collection below.
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