Princess of Wales fashion designer on the verge of collapse

The Princess of Wales has worn the brand multiple times, including a special blue Christopher Kane coat during a visit to Dundee in 2015. : Danny Lawson/PA Wire

A Scottish fashion designer loved by the Princess of Wales is on the brink of bankruptcy.

Christopher Kane, whose dress the princess has worn to numerous public events over the years, filed a notice to appoint administrators on Monday, court documents show.

The company is hoping there will be a buyer to save it, and hired insolvency expert FTS Recovery to oversee the process.

North Lanarkshire-born designer Christopher Kane founded the eponymous label in 2006 in London with his sister, Tammy Kane. His dresses, which can cost upwards of £1,000, have won numerous awards over the years.

The designer sewed for the Princess of Wales custom-made garments for special occasions. In 2015, she was pictured wearing a tailored blue Scottish overcoat by Christopher Kane and toured the Dundee Repertory Theater with her husband, the Prince of Wales.

However, the princess is far from the only celebrity with a penchant for the label. Other notable wearers have included Michelle Obama, actors such as Anne Hathaway and Cate Blanchett, as well as Rihanna, FKA Twigs and Florence Welch of Florence & The Machine.

Christopher and Tammy Kane founded the fashion brand in 2006. Photo: Darren Gerrish/Royal Academy of Arts

40-year-old Mr Kane was also responsible for making Crocs debut on the catwalk in 2016 when he gave the clogs a prestigious look at London Fashion Week with a pair adorned with raw mineral stones.

In 2013, the Kane siblings sold a 51 percent stake in the company to the French luxury retail group Kering, which owns Gucci, Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen, for a value of 60 billion euros (£51.6 billion). Shortly thereafter, the first Christopher Kane store was opened in London. Mayfair.

However, the siblings bought back in 2018 as Kering began to focus more on big brands.

Christopher Kane's latest company reports for the year ending December 31st. , 2021, show that the business was forced to launch a «vast campaign to cut costs» after its stores were closed during the pandemic.

A spokesman for Christopher Kane said: give the company enough time to implement the plan salvation. Key stakeholders have been notified.

«A period of accelerated marketing activity will now follow to identify potential stakeholders to either refinance the company's existing debt or find a buyer for the business and assets.»