Grand Illusion SS 2016
At the turn of the 20th century, an age in which scientific discovery, showmanship and downright trickery went hand in hand, magicians were idolised like today’s rock stars. For Spring Summer 2016 Joshua Kane presents his second London runway collection, conjuring the spirit of the great illusionists who made the impossible possible.
Futurist and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla sits in his laboratory, dwarfed by an array of curious machinery. Seven metre arcs of artificial lightning crack and leap through the air between giant conducting pillars. British watchmaker-turned-stage-magician John Nevil Maskelyne enthrals Victorian audiences with his intricately designed inventions. Parisian magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, considered the father of modern conjuring, brings glamour to the profession with a whirl of his impeccably cut tailcoat.
Robert-Houdin found favour with Napoleon III, and this influences timeless military details in the collection, such as frogging and metallic studs (originally used in armour design). The red and black ceremonial cloth is manufactured by Hainsworth, suppliers to the Royal Household Cavalry. Within the collection nothing is quite as it appears: cloths developed with Yorkshire mill Joseph H Clissold include a new fabric called “The Illusion Weave”, woven as a tapestry with architectural arches showing the illusion of perspective. It’s rare to use this robust weave in tailoring — it’s usually found in wall hangings. A bold monochrome suit jacket mimics the cut of a tailcoat.
Signature references such as polka dots are now given centre stage, scattered across the entirety of the suit. SS16 also marks the brand’s continued move into lifestyle accessories, introducing both eyewear and luggage. We see curiosities such as the gold plated and marbled acetate frames of the sunglasses, their mirrored, polarised lenses a nod to Tesla and his use of protective eyewear when conducting his experiments. The luggage offering includes four travel cases, one in the Illusion Weave which is 100 percent wool with leather trim, alligator print leather, matt studded leather, and studded navy Imperial wool. These come with branded hardware and bespoke luggage tags. To top it off, this season Joshua Kane’s trademark Gostick Hat is offered in white with black grosgrain band and bow, and the reverse – black with white trimming.
Futurist and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla sits in his laboratory, dwarfed by an array of curious machinery. Seven metre arcs of artificial lightning crack and leap through the air between giant conducting pillars. British watchmaker-turned-stage-magician John Nevil Maskelyne enthrals Victorian audiences with his intricately designed inventions. Parisian magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, considered the father of modern conjuring, brings glamour to the profession with a whirl of his impeccably cut tailcoat.
Robert-Houdin found favour with Napoleon III, and this influences timeless military details in the collection, such as frogging and metallic studs (originally used in armour design). The red and black ceremonial cloth is manufactured by Hainsworth, suppliers to the Royal Household Cavalry. Within the collection nothing is quite as it appears: cloths developed with Yorkshire mill Joseph H Clissold include a new fabric called “The Illusion Weave”, woven as a tapestry with architectural arches showing the illusion of perspective. It’s rare to use this robust weave in tailoring — it’s usually found in wall hangings. A bold monochrome suit jacket mimics the cut of a tailcoat.
Signature references such as polka dots are now given centre stage, scattered across the entirety of the suit. SS16 also marks the brand’s continued move into lifestyle accessories, introducing both eyewear and luggage. We see curiosities such as the gold plated and marbled acetate frames of the sunglasses, their mirrored, polarised lenses a nod to Tesla and his use of protective eyewear when conducting his experiments. The luggage offering includes four travel cases, one in the Illusion Weave which is 100 percent wool with leather trim, alligator print leather, matt studded leather, and studded navy Imperial wool. These come with branded hardware and bespoke luggage tags. To top it off, this season Joshua Kane’s trademark Gostick Hat is offered in white with black grosgrain band and bow, and the reverse – black with white trimming.
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