Initial reaction:

“Deep inside of you, deep inside of me” sang Gloria Ann Taylor on the Alkalino rework of this disco soul track. Delving deep into what pulls human to human is exactly what Christopher Kane was attempting to do with this sex-fuelled collection. Everything hinted and glinted at what happens when two becomes one – touchy-feely velvet suiting and two-tone velvet dresses that slid around the body, oversized ruffles as seen on night peignoirs and the metallic safety buckles placed at every opportunity (a motif taken from Kane’s bag line) ready for unclasping. In the show notes, Kane said: “I wanted a feeling of attraction and sensuality in the collection, something sexual but not grotesque – this is about love and art in life as well as fashion.” 

Lovers’ Lace:

Kane had his design team partake in life drawing sessions and combined their sketches of nude figures to create the statement pieces of the collection – tricolour dresses made out of “Lovers’ Lace”. Outlined in black on delicate Swiss lace were bodies melding into one another – like depictions of ménage à trois trysts. The coming together of the lace bodies with the real ones was a reminder of Kane’s knack for making the so-wrong feel so-right. 

The rules of attraction:

The designer wasn’t simply looking at the surface of sexiness. That would be facile. His interest in science led him to add elements such as metallic zig zag patterns, which reflected the electric current felt between two people, and chromed detailing on bags that referenced the molecular structures within us all – they’re the triggers that make us want “More, more, more” as Andrea True Connection’s 1976 classic played out for the finale.

The soundtrack to Christopher Kane AW15: