Christopher Kane on dressing a new gen of party girls in crystals and lace

Ask anyone who lived their formative fashion years between around 2005 to 2010 to list some of the runway collections that had the most impact on them and it’s highly likely that, before long, Christopher Kane’s SS07 offering will get a shout-out. The Scottish designer’s first catwalk show out of Central Saint Martins has gone down in fashion history as one of the best debuts ever, its Stabilo highlighter-hued, crystal-splattered bandeaus and zip-up bandage minis  – described by critic Suzy Menkes as “Marie Antoinette at the discotheque” – still plastered all over Instagram archive pages and Pinterest inspo boards close to 20 years on.

With fashion still grasped in the throes of a Y2K renaissance, it made sense for Kane to revisit this seminal collection as part of a new collaboration with Self Portrait. After making friends with founder Han Chong “a long time ago”, when they bumped into each other at a party, Kane is the first creative to join Self Portrait’s Residency programme, turning out a coquettish collection spanning lace minidresses, fine-knit bodies, and slinky pencil skirts, as well as glittering evening bags and cute frilly socks and tights.

The designer’s Self Portrait collection comes after his eponymous label closed up shop post-pandemic, sending longtime fans into a tailspin. And while he’s not one to get sucked under by nostalgia, reimagining his SS07 offering 17 years on felt like a natural step. “That collection had been on my mind with the business closing, and I had a few pieces from it at home after it was in the Design Museum’s Rebel Rebel exhibition in 2023,” he explains. “I posted a backstage pic of Lara Stone, Marina Perez, and Andreea Diaconu on Instagram and got such a big reaction, I don’t know… It just felt right.” 

“The SS07 collection had been on my mind with the business closing, and I had a few pieces from it at home after it was in the Design Museum’s Rebel Rebel exhibition in 2023” – Christopher Kane

Of course, the Self Portrait line-up is not a cut-and-paste carbon copy of the original, with Kane’s reimagined pieces turned out in a sugar-sweet, saccharine palette of blossom pink, faded lemon, and baby blue. The whole process, which Kane describes as “a complete joy”, also turned out to be a transformative moment which recalibrated his mindset. 

“I don’t think nostalgia has ever gone out of fashion, and I see big brands repeat their DNA and codes all the time,” he says. “I think it’s smart, but it was always something I steered away from because I have a thirst for curiosity and what really excites me is newness. I have been really criticised for moving on too quickly and allowing others to take my work and build it into their own brands, so I learned a lot in the process – discovering there is value in revisiting my archive as it is still as relevant today as it was years ago.” 

With Kane’s own line beloved by party girls the world over, the Self Portrait collab is designed with a gaggle of new-gen social butterflies, who love a tequila soda or vodka tonic, a ciggie, and a bit of a dance, in mind, so it made sense it would get its launch with a raucous dinner and drinks reception with a difference. The idea was to channel Andy Warhol’s infamous Factory gatherings circa the 1970s and 80s, when groups of artists, movie stars, writers, and It-girls would congregate, get high, and get creative. 

In a North London warehouse space lit with candles, guests milled about as models including Colin Jones paraded about in the new clothes, the collection’s campaign and lookbook imagery captured by photographers as starters and main courses were dished up. It was loud, chaotic, overstimulating, and loads of fun – how you’d imagine a fashion party might be back in the days before everyone was overly-engrossed in their phones. “The energy was electric,” says Kane of the night. “One of the best events I’ve ever had, a real career highlight,” he adds. 

“I have been really criticised for moving on too quickly and allowing others to take my work and build it into their own brands, so I learned a lot in the process – discovering there is value in revisiting my archive as it is still as relevant today as it was years ago” – Christopher Kane

Kane’s Self Portrait collection is unsurprisingly flying off shelves, both to dedicated devotees who didn’t get their hands on an original piece the first time around, and a new horde of fans just learning of the designer’s archive. With round one a success, could a second Residency be on the cards? “I would absolutely love to,” surmises Kane. “Han and his team are a dream to work with.” 

Click through the gallery above for a closer look at the collection and head here to shop.