A focus of the model casting in Christopher Kane's S/S14 floral-inspired show
Flowers were at the centre of Christopher Kane’s spring/summer 2014 collection. A classic theme? Hardly. Always one to do things his own way, Kane jettisoned the romanticism of peonies and roses (“they have been done to death”, he explained) to focus on the sexuality of orchids and buttercups. Cross-section drawings and photosynthesis diagrams reminiscent of the female anatomy suggested a ripe femininity, natural and glowing and devoid of all girlishness and naiveté.
"Christopher will go for girls who remind him of someone he went to school with, or with an attitude that evokes a character he grew up with"
This idea was also conveyed through the show’s casting, expertly orchestrated by Russell Marsh (known for being Prada’s casting wizard and for launching the careers of Lara Stone and Daria Werbowy). “It’s always exciting working with someone like Christopher Kane”, he said, “because he has such unusual ideas for what he wants. He’ll go for girls who remind him of someone he went to school with, or with an attitude that evokes a character he grew up with”. This season, Marsh chose 54 models of a no-gimmick, beyond-the-obvious femininity. Brunettes dominated the casting, with new faces like Carly Moore and Val Debeuf working next to Marie Piovesan, Marta Dyks and Lisanne de Jong. The bobbed hair and naturally thick, defined eyebrows of Daphne Velghe, Sam Rollinson, Catherine McNeil and Drake Burnette (the star of Larry Clark’s Marfa Girl, who also walked the runway for Kane last season) gave the clothes an edge and got the guests talking. Cast by Marsh for their grown-up, assertive beauty, they perfectly mirrored the Scottish designer’s fully-bloomed collection.
Text by Marta Represa
Marta Represa is a freelance writer specialising in fashion, art, photography and culture.
