Christopher Kane is a perfectionist. The designer was to talk about his work with Versus, Donatella Versace's less expensive label, but the interview has been postponed, until after Kane's presentation of the Versus collection for fall/winter 2010.
It seems Kane wants to change the way the collection will be revealed and a new set has to be built at Milan's Teatro Versace. Gone are the Greek-style plinths that he used so successfully for his spring/summer 2010 collection in September 2009, which he was going to use again. In their place will be a theatrical mini-parade followed by a still-life tableau of ing?nue models teetering on nine-inch heels.
But Kane is no prima donna. In fact the skinny slip of a 20-something black-clad shadow could be mistaken for a teenage newspaper boy. The set change is about being a perfectionist, and that's one reason why Donatella Versace loves him so much, and why Kane loves her.
'Ever since I started doing the Versus collection, Donatella has given me free rein,' he says after his presentation, which featured form-hugging dresses in plum, navy, green and orange; colours inspired by T-shirts Donatella designed in the '90s during her collaboration with the photographer Bruce Weber and stylist Joe McKenna.
'It has been great to access that archive,' purrs Kane in a smooth Scottish brogue. 'There are so many amazing details that Donatella did in the past. It's great to take pieces and make them more modern for today.'
Kane has been practicing his classical modernism since graduating from Central St Martins College of Art and Design in London five years ago. Versace became his mentor when Kane was finishing his graduation project and wrote to her about borrowing some silver mesh. By 2007 he had become her consultant after he designed neon-lace dresses that became like fashion-crack cocaine for insatiable celebrities.
