Daily Front Row

2010 February 22

Runway Reviews: Christopher Kane, Osman

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Christopher Kane Fall 2010
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(LONDON) Christopher Kane
Before the Matthew Williamson and Burberry shows returned to London, Christopher Kane was arguably the hottest ticket at London Fashion Week. That still may be the case. For his Fall 2010 presentation, the likes of Carine Roitfeld and Naomi Campbell took to the front row to observe the follow-up to last season's slightly twisted Lolita. This time, Kane again masterfully mixed innocence with blatant sex appeal; black leather and lace creations were covered in colorful floral embroidery. The collection opened with black kilt-style skirts 
and lace tops, a solid blouse with the embroidery on the front and sleeves slit up the inside for a vaguely cape-ish feel, and a patent leather pencil skirt that added a fetishist touch. Long blazers and coats came into the mix, but all followed the formula of lace, leather, and embroidery. There was an austerity reminiscent of Prada’s lace collection for Fall 2008; blouses had high necks with either a buttoned-up shirt collar or a mandarin collar. There’s no doubt Kane’s collection will score major points with editors and his loyal following of chicettes, but there was something a tiny bit unsatisfying when the last model left the runway. Sure, Kane hit on 
another great idea and executed it to perfection, but with every single look a variation on a fairly rigid theme attendees were left wanting more. Kane is more than capable.

Osman
There’s a studied simplicity and ease to the clothing of Osman Yousefzada, so it’s fitting that the designer launched a 12-piece capsule collection of jersey pieces for Fall 2010, starting with the four draped navy dresses that opened the show. Dresses, tops, and even trousers came in the jersey, which showed off the designer’s skill in drapery. Of course, structure and architectural silhouettes made appearances as well, primarily in the use of stiff mohair in a hot pink coat and striped pleated skirt. If the heavy mohair was a bit bulky, soft leathers were a better way to integrate a bit of structure. One pale taupe leather dress was especially simple and lovely.