London Designer Joshua Kane Unleashes ‘Journey’ A/W Collection

Joshua Kane is not your average British designer. His catwalk was much the same. On Friday 17th February he took over the London Palladium off Oxford Circus to showcase his work in a grand theatre setting. The new season designs emphasised his signatures of luxurious fabrics in resplendent cuts.

Joshua Kane intended to break the boundaries of the evermore exclusive fashion world by opening this show to the public. Kane certainly knows how to create a storm- punching like his sewing needle into the British fashion scene.

Kane has since explained his approach via Instagram: “last night I wanted to do something different, I wanted to break the mould of how fashion should be presented and how people are able to access it, how exclusivity can be removed and create something much more exciting and emotive.” This is now rumoured to have been the best attended runway show of London Fashion Week history.

 

The Tailoring of Joshua Kane Bespoke

If you have a cool £1800 to spare then Joshua Kane’s suits certainly stand out from the crowd. His made to measure creations draw inspiration from Edwardian elegance, yet stand as thoroughly contemporary. Short-length, tapered trousers are paired with double-breasted waistcoats and grand lapels.

This also includes womenswear which shares many of the same designs and styles. It also isn’t just tailoring, with exquisite bomber jackets also available. These designs are all available made to measure from today.

Joshua Kane Bespoke:  68 Great Portland St, Fitzrovia, London W1W 7NG

The ‘Journey’ Show

This unusual format was hardly the rapid functionality of most catwalks. After a long wait for the press stalls, sitting in the theatre was rather like waiting for Axl Rose to come on stage. Despite the beautiful venue, nothing happened. As time went by you could see the previously demure fashionable elite dashing for the facilities after the long wait by the bar. A soundtrack of birdsong and piano music did nothing to hurry up the performance.

Finally, the curtain rose to a small ensemble of musicians playing classical staples. A full set spanned the stage and the first models emerged through a door, revealing a dazzlingly bright light behind. This was some cutting edge curatorship. The models walked to the front of the stage, down into the stalls and around the back to return to the stage. A physical ‘journey’ as much as Kane’s stylistic journey.

First we saw very traditional houndstooth grey suits, coats and bakerboy flat caps. Oversized bomber jackets and a wealth of luxurious materials. The womens wear differed very little from the men’s, also relying on classic tailoring.

After this grand display the tired format took a different turn with a poignant ballet performance suited in Joshua Kane’s made to measure pieces. This demonstrated the excellence of clothes made to be worn, rather than classic catwalk constructions.

Finally, the models again swept the arena in a dizzying array of styles before the designer himself appeared to a standing ovation. With long flowing hair, preened moustache and tattoos beneath rolled sleeves, this Kingston graduate is definitely the new face of British tailoring.

 

Stewart Vickers Instagram/Twitter: @vickhellfire

 

The post London Designer Joshua Kane Unleashes ‘Journey’ A/W Collection appeared first on Felix Magazine.