Christopher Kane, the Scottish designer who burst onto London's fashion scene in 2006, is preparing to shutter his namesake label.
According to WWD, Christopher Kane Ltd. has filed a notice of intent to appoint insolvency firm FTS Recovery to "wind down operations." In a statement to the publication, the brand said it will enter a period of "accelerated marketing activity" with the goal of locating "potential interested parties to either refinance the company's existing debt, or alternatively locate a purchaser for the business and assets."
The news comes just days after Christopher Kane presented its Resort 2024 collection. The brand is continuing to post on Instagram and has not yet addressed its potential closure online.
Kane founded his namesake label in 2006 with his sister, Tammy, a graduate of the Scottish College of Textile Design. Their debut collection caught the industry's eye — the same year, Kane was awarded Young Designer of the Year at the Scottish Fashion Awards.
Fashion can be notoriously fickle, but Kane held the industry's interest, going on to clinch New Designer of the Year at the 2007 British Fashion Awards. A testament to the buzz surrounding the young up-and-comer, Topshop tapped Kane to design a collaborative capsule collection, which released in 2008.
In 2009, Donatella Versace recruited Kane to head Versus, Versace's sister line. The two parted ways in 2012, a split that fueled speculation Kane would join Balenciaga as creative director (Alexander Wang was appointed instead).
Kane's designs are unfailingly playful, often experimenting with unexpected materials like rubber, latex, and even liquid-filled PVC. Dubbed the "Willy Wonka of fashion," Kane's ability to turn unconventional textiles and prints into totally wearable garments garnered him fans including FKA Twigs and Alexa Chung. (The former famously wore one of Kane's "life drawing" dresses to the 2015 Met Gala.)
His success caught the eye of Kering, which purchased a 51 percent stake in the brand in 2013. In 2018, the luxury conglomerate sold its ownership back to Kane.
Later that year, Kane launched a diffusion line called More Joy. The logo first appeared in his FW18 collection inspired by "The Joy of Sex," an erotic guide published in 1972. More Joy offered Kane's fans a more accessible range of accessories, athleisure, homeware, and the occasional sex toy.
When contacted by Highsnobiety, Christopher Kane declined to comment further.
