Christopher Kane

Florals aren’t ‘ground-breaking’ for spring, that’s for sure – but for winter, indeed, they are. London-based designers are in the full bloom this season, from Erdem to Pringle of Scotland. Christopher Kane is also a sucker for flora, which is impossible not to spot in his latest collection. Whether in form of traditional damask coming from Gainsborough Silks (rather used for haute-tapestry, than in coats and skirts) or meticulously embellished 3-D flowers sticking out off the dresses, Kane’s girl will bring brightness to the room. But the collection wasn’t only about florals. There was this cosmic element in it, whether we’re talking of space-ship prints, futuristic handbags or fluorescent knit. Christopher Kane’s collections always feel like a collage, but in motion. Some elements appear out of nowhere, like the genius sponge-stripped heels or romantic white lace.

Helmut Lang spring-summer 1998

In her twisted elegance for spring-summer 2017, Miuccia Prada sent down a line of feather-trimmed jackets, bras and skirts. The dresses by Prada, with ostrich-feathers on the sleeves, were pure lightness, blurring the silhouttes’ minimal cut and old-fashioned opulence. “No other material stirs the imagination quite like the feather“, said the intro to Antwerp’s MoMU exhibition dedicated to plumes and feathers back in 2014. That’s quite true – for centuries, feathers were symbol of sophistication and refinement in women’s wardrobe. Valued by designers, like Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen (and the late designer himself) or even Phoebe Philo of Céline, feathers are the quintessence of preciousness. Whether traditionally crafted by skilled artisans called plumassiers, detailed with the help of Maison Lemarié in Paris or simply turned into ethereal headpieces (Maria Grazia Chiuri’s debut haute couture collection for Dior; Helmut Lang‘s all-white feather crowns from the 90s).

Céline Pre-Fall 2010

Christopher Kane autumn-winter 2016

Prada spring-summer 2017

Hillier Bartley spring-summer 2017

Prada spring-summer 2017

Hillier Bartley spring-summer 2017

Prada spring-summer 2017 by Willy Vanderperre

Prada spring-summer 2017

Prada spring-summer 2017 by Willy Vanderperr

Helmut Lang spring-summer 1999

Céline Pre-Fall 2010

Givenchy spring-summer 2014

Givenchy haute couture SS17

Alexander McQueen spring-summer 2014

Dior haute couture SS17

Some designers choose to use feathers spontaneously, one-time, like London-based Christopher Kane. But others, like Ann Demeulemeester, feel strong affection towards feathers since childhood. The queen of Belgian fashion especially favoured dove feathers and transformed them into timeless pendants. For her first fashion show in Paris in 1992, she placed on each chair a leather string holding dove feathers. In 2000, a priest called her and asked whether she can ‘dress’ the Madonna in Saint Andrew’s church in Antwerp. The effect was a feather bustier, which ideally matched the holliness and spirituality of this place. Although Demeulemeester stepped down from her role at the brand, Sébastien Meunier succesfully continues her feather legacy. Just see his poetic autumn-winter 2017 collection for men (note the hats and shawls).

Ann Demeulemeester AW17

Ann Demeulemeester SS92

Ann Demeulemeester AW11

Ann Demeulemeester AW09

Ann Demeulemeester SS08

One of the biggest fashion moments connected to feathers that always hits my mind is Peter Lindbergh’s cult editorial for Harper’s Bazaar in 1993. Amber Valletta, looking like a fallen angel, wanders around New York in her white wings and white suit. Beautiful and melancholic simultaneously. Light as a feather.