Christopher Kane's AW16 Show: The Trends To Take Away

The jewel in the crown of the LFW schedule, Christopher Kane's show is awash with hot fashion headlines. Here's what you need to know about AW16...

Christopher Kane AW16
Christopher Kane AW16
(Image credit: Rex)

The jewel in the crown of the LFW schedule, Christopher Kane's show is awash with hot fashion headlines. Here's what you need to know about AW16...

It's the ticket we'd all swap our Celine shoe gloves for (well, not really - but you know what we mean) - yes, we're talking about Christopher Kane's show. One of the highlights of fashion month, no LFW Monday is complete without a good old parsing of his collection for guidance to the season's trends according to The Oracle of Christopher. Hot off the catwalk - an industrial concrete-floored affair at the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall - here are the trends to take away from his AW16 show...

1. Edie from Grey Gardens is your muse

Maybe it was the bonkers perspex headscarves knotted casually underneath models' chins that alerted us to the eccentric bag-lady vibe. First there were clear ones, then there were blue ones, looking more and more like the girls had grabbed a plastic bag to protect their heads from the rain. The whole collection had a seriously askew feel - baggy boiled orange wool jumpers slipped off the shoulder, a half-belt on the back of a jacket was off-centre, and black leather bags were festooned with silver staples. There were also Chanel lady-on-speed grey tweed suits, complete with shearling trimmed lapels and an enormous crystal brooch.

2. Make-do-and-mend materials

We've talked about the plastic-bag headgear. But can we also talk about the opening look - which looked literally stapled together from the kind of corrugated brown cardboard that is more usually found holding your morning cup of coffee. See also: string bags.

3. Crystal, crystal everywhere

A trend we've seen on practically every catwalk so far, AW16 is set to be a very sparkly season. But we're not talking blingy head to toe sparkle. Oh no. It's all about crystal-covered brooches and chains dripping off lapels. Kane's were attached to safety pins and decorating black crepe cut-out dresses for a punky, pinned-on kind of vibe.

4. Dressing-gown chic

Adding to the subversive just-staggered-out-of-bed look was a divine section of black satin negligee-inspired dresses trimmed with marabou feathers in pale pink and green. So far, so old Hollywood. But these were just a bit wrong (in the right kind of way). Asymmetric, with feather trims fluttering from the oddest of places, this kind of glamour is all about looking as if it's been thrown on in a hurry - and with the curtains still firmly closed.

5. Dark flowers

The collection had several flower motifs, from a rose print climbing all over chiffon dresses in shades of lilac, green and camel, to oversized poppy-shaped brooches and some very folksy-looking felt corsages in bright shades and neon that decorated the bright yellow and orange string bags dangling from the girls' hands.

6. We're going round the maypole

Anything but May Queen sweet, the finale outfits looked as if they'd been stolen by a gypsy from that maypole and got wrapped round her while she was running away. A black coat trailed white satin ribbons, while white satin dresses were made of fluttering ribbons with feather tassel ends.

Click through our gallery at the top to see every single look from Christopher Kane's AW16 show

The leading destination for fashion, beauty, shopping and finger-on-the-pulse views on the latest issues. Marie Claire's travel content helps you delight in discovering new destinations around the globe, offering a unique – and sometimes unchartered – travel experience. From new hotel openings to the destinations tipped to take over our travel calendars, this iconic name has it covered.