LONDON — Christopher Kane, who for years was a fixture at London Fashion Week, is back in the fold as the first guest of Self-Portrait’s residency program, WWD has learned.
Kane has designed a full collection that will be available in select Self-Portrait stores, and across a global network of retailers, from the end of November.
The collection takes in Kane’s past, and future. “I wanted to celebrate and reinterpret my spring 2007 debut through the lens of the Self-Portrait audience, merging my signature style with a fresh perspective,” said the designer, whose first LFW show featured 50 crystal-trimmed, zip-spliced bandage dresses.
Going forward, the residency will see Self-Portrait founder Han Chong open the doors of his expansive studio and headquarters, Harella House, near the Barbican in London, to creatives from all disciplines.
In an interview, Chong said he wanted the program to reflect “the way my customers interact with the world, so the opportunities are broad and exciting. I love the idea of exploring different aspects of lifestyle. It could be an experience, a single item, a piece of music, a book or even multiple creators contributing in unexpected ways.”
Self-Portrait will provide the infrastructure, platforms, resources, teams and distribution networks to spotlight and promote creatives designing one-off collections.
Chong said he wants to provide “a home for creativity to thrive and prosper.” He also wants to create a sense of community, and work toward mutual audience engagement.
“Kane was a very natural choice as his influence on London’s fashion landscape is undeniable, and his innovative spirit and design language align perfectly with the vision I had for this program. We were both Central Saint Martin’s students, so we had a similar foundation and view on education. It’s his bold and forward-thinking approach to creativity that I think makes him our ideal first resident, and someone who I know will excite our customers,” Chong said.
He added that Kane’s new pieces will be priced similarly to the Self-Portrait collections. Dresses are priced between 300 pounds and 600 pounds.
Self-Portrait has been growing exponentially over the past few years, thanks partly to a lucrative joint venture deal with Ellassay Group in China.
Chong remains one of the few London-based designers who has managed to balance creativity with commerce, and has celebrated that success by hiring a constellation of stars, including Jisoo, Gigi Hadid, Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, for his campaigns.
Poster for Self-Portrait’s Residency Program.
Courtesy of Self-Portrait
Born in Penang, Malaysia, Chong moved to London in 2003 to study womenswear design at Central Saint Martins. He initially pursued a career in the visual arts, but later shifted his focus to fashion, founding Self-Portrait in 2013.
It was a vertical operation from the get-go: Chong relied on his factories in southeast Asia and had direct oversight of the production, supply chain — and profit margins. He now has offices in China, a team on the ground in Hong Kong, and a network of factories in different Chinese regions.
More recently, the brand has expanded into kidswear, leather accessories and fashion jewelry, and adopted a multibrand strategy with the acquisition of Roland Mouret’s loss-making brand in November 2021.
Teaming with Kane not only broadens Self-Portrait’s fashion appeal, but also provides the designer with peer support, and a way back into fashion.
Like many designer businesses, Kane’s brand ran into trouble in the summer of 2023, following the difficult years of the pandemic. Shortly after filing a notice of intention to appoint administrators, the designer and his sister Tammy Kane were able to repurchase the Christopher Kane and More Joy fashion labels.
Earlier this year, Kane told WWD that he was ready to embark on new adventures.
“I love a challenge. I have been meeting lots of people. It’s definitely not over,” he said. “It’s always good to adapt and be agile. I’ve been doing it for 18 years. I am not going to go anywhere.”
Kane founded his company 17 years ago, and for years collaborated closely with Donatella Versace on the Versus collection. Over the years, he has explored themes such as science, outer space and human anatomy in his edgy, stylish signature collections.
In 2013, Kering purchased 51 percent of Kane’s label before selling the stake back to the designer in 2018.
A year later, Kane launched a second, standalone line called More Joy, which referenced the erotic imagery and themes of “The Joy of Sex” series by Alex Comfort.
The collection offered everyday, well-designed products ranging from T-shirts, hoodies, swimwear and slides to eyewear and home accessories such as mugs, coasters, water bottles and yoga mats.
