Christopher Kane Calls These Little Patent Pumps the ‘Praying Mantis Crotch Shoe’
Stephanie Hirschmiller
European Editor
“I call them the praying mantis crotch shoe,” Christopher Kane told FN this afternoon after his spring ’19 show at London Fashion Week, “in your face and out to get you.”
He was referring to sublime little patent pumps and booties in black white and red with outsize tongues made of lace that flickered back and forth with every step.
We should probably explain the crotch reference at this point: The cut-out lace bodices in the collection — the ones that looked like breastplates or skeletons — drew inspiration from the crotch on a pair of panties.
“I was inspired by an amazing piece of lingerie I found, basically a crotch, made for ladies of the night or strippers. We took the shape and made it into a beautiful formulaic [design], anatomical, almost like armor,” he said. “I didn’t want to make it look lace; I wanted it to look almost hard and strong.”
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Kane has an obsession with science and anatomy. He’s been known to hold live drawing classes for his staff, and following the release of his fall ’18 “Joy of Sex” collection last week, he transformed into a sex columnist for London’s Evening Standard newspaper.
And while there were no Crocs or orthopedic spring shoes in the collection this time around, he made up for it with his wildest sneakers yet. The heels were made from three primary-colored spheres. “They’re like a DNA strand,” he explained. “I’m obsessed with science, as you know, so they’re made to look like molecules.”
