True, though he would never say he is anyone’s mentor! He was the one who gave me the idea of transferring the stories I used to write in my head, about my collections, into actual writing. And I became addicted to that. Working with my collections, I start out with a vague mood or direction, and write a story inspired by that. Once the narrative is written, sometimes with characters, dates and locations, it carries with it the intention of the collection. I translate that it into a huge mood board where I include as much as possible; words and images, so that people can know precisely what I am talking about. I only start drawing once the narrative is done. Also, working on the collections or fashion shows, I always collaborate with a beat maker, a producer, or just a musician who can translate the collection into a signature sound. In my personal creative process, I gravitate towards experimental music. It helps me connect with something deeper, it’s like an accelerator. I’d like to start making music actually. It could be interesting to create sound together with the garments, a story that blends many worlds.
Kane, like many of her peers in the new wave of African fashion designers, experiments with mixing international influences with traditional elements and silhouettes. Lately, she has learned to work with niahaas, the intricate patchwork technique used by the Baye Fall, a Sufi order that Kane likens to the urban tribes and subcultures she encountered in Europe, but with a spiritual base. The Baye Fall are known for their unique garments, the patchwork originally developed by sewing together salvaged or donated fabric scraps. The philosophy of these community based groups fits well with Kane’s own focus on social responsibility and sustainability, or as she has put it “opulence through frugality”.