Mikhael Kale Spring 2016: See the CAFA winner’s avant-garde floral collection

by Sarah Casselman October 20, 2015

Mikhael Kale is in full bloom. Literally. The 2015 CAFA Winner for Womenswear Designer of the Year, known for his cool, conceptual approach to design, has created a garden for spring 2016 filled with hyper-embellished looks, heavy on petals—some delicate, some piercing. In true Kale style, pieces were chopped up and artfully put back together, while fabrics played tricks on the eyes. There was nothing suburban about this backyard party.

Inspiration
Irving Penn’s flower portraits—seeing beauty in every part of a rose’s life and being able to capture it. For spring 2016, Kale intertwines the beauty of nature with his cutting edge silhouettes.

Fabric
“There’s no fabric that’s been purchased,” says Kale referring to the construction of his spring 2016 collection. Case in point: a gold top that looks like velvet is actually composed of tiny silk strands woven through netting.

Accessories
A garden variety of flowers scattered inside nude hosiery created a free-spirited vibe. The jury’s still out though on the itch factor.

Hair
The wet look makes a serious splash thanks to the slick styling, which included a tiny bun at the base of the neck and super saturated colour.

‘Wow’ moment
The model squad formations in the finale gave a powerful finish to Kale’s avant-garde petals.

Backstage quotable
“I brought my team out, these are girls who have been working with me for six or seven years, for at least 10 hours a day. We spend 95% of our time together,” says Kale of his runway bow with his sweatshirt-clad crew emblazoned with the designer’s surname. First spotted in Beyonce’s 7/11 video, this four-letter word is back in the spotlight.