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Self-Portrait has launched a new residency programme, and has tapped Christopher Kane as its first guest.
Through the programme, Self-Portrait will open the doors to its London studio and headquarters, where it has created a new design hub for artists from a variety of disciplines. The idea is to provide innovative creatives with the resources, infrastructure, platforms, manpower and distribution networks to realise their design vision. Kane’s residency is a one-off engagement, but the collection will roll out across retailers from the end of November 2024 and will be available for up to one year after it’s released, based on demand.
“The fashion industry can often be isolating for designers, with brands competing for space and attention. I have been thinking a lot about ways to try to evolve this by looking at modern ways to approach collaboration,” says Han Chong, founder and creative director of Self-Portrait, in a statement. “Having spent the last 10 years building our brand and honing our team’s skills, it feels incredibly rewarding to share our expertise and techniques with others, giving them the keys to our studio, and the space to explore and expand their own craft, while staying true to our commitment to honest luxury. Self-Portrait Residency aims to not only enrich and evolve our collections and redefine how we connect with and excite our customers, but I hope it will also provide a home for creativity to thrive and prosper.”
According to the company, Kane was chosen because of synergies with the Self-Portrait brand — London roots (both designers studied at Central Saint Martins) and a commitment to creating designs that empower and resonate with the modern woman.
Kane founded his namesake label in 2006 and quickly became one of the most exciting names on the London Fashion Week calendar, known for his use of bright colours, prints like gingham and snakeskin, and interesting materials such as rubber and plastic. He designed a capsule collection for Topshop in 2006, collaborated with Versace on a capsule collection for a younger consumer (Versus Versace) in 2009, and in 2013, Kering acquired a 51 per cent stake in the business.
Kane bought his label back from Kering in 2018, but financial trouble brewed. He closed his London store during the pandemic and eventually filed for administration in June 2023 before buying the brand’s assets and intellectual property back in a pre-pack deal in July of that year. He’s one of several London-based independent designers who ran hot but eventually folded.
Self-Portrait is no stranger to saving brands. In December 2021, Chong acquired British luxury label Roland Mouret out of administration and established a new fashion group, SP Collection.
The residency programme is the next step in Self-Portrait scaling up as an international powerhouse. “My ambition for Self-Portrait has always been to create an inclusive brand, one that empowers with every interaction, and one that focuses on community over competition,” says Chong. “To me, [the residency programme] represents the future of genuine partnership, where creatives support and uplift each other rather than seeing each other as rivals.”
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