Amidst the verdant hues of a labyrinthine garden, LOEWE unveiled its Fall/Winter 2024 collection at Paris Fashion Week, a spectacle that can only be described as a contemporary Eden. The venue, a maze-like art gallery bathed in gradients of green, served as the perfect tableau for Jonathan Anderson’s latest creations, engaging in a visual dialogue with Albert York’s pastoral and idyllic landscapes. The setting transcended mere backdrop, becoming an invitation to a world where the artistry of York’s paintings inspired the collection’s prints, allowing art, nature, and fashion to converse in harmonious dialect.
A Celestial Front Row
The show was a spectacular and star-studded affair with the front row graced by the likes of Ursula Corbero, Stephanie Bak, St. Vincent, and Sophie Wilde, to name a few. Shawn Mendes lent his contemporary cool to the mix, while Pharrell Williams and Meg Ryan added a touch of timeless charm. The attendance of renowned figures underscored LOEWE’s standing and subtly declared the collection’s alignment with modern cultural trends.
Eden Reimagined: The Collection
As the first model stepped onto the runway, it was clear that Anderson had orchestrated a symphony of sartorial elegance blended with subversive twists. Etonian morning suits were deconstructed, their traditional aplomb juxtaposed with the abstract; beloved dogs appeared in mosaic on rings and across entire dresses; metallic accents reimagined as avant-garde lapels; and a drawing room’s floral tapestry cascaded down dresses and trousers alike.
The Tailoring of Paradise
The collection explored the duality of tailoring and the vernacular of couture, balancing masculine bespoke with feminine prerogative. Faultless jackets flowed into slacks with a liquidity that defied their structure, while neckties and sculptural short dresses flirted with straight cuts and draping. The juxtaposition of hard and soft lines was further emphasized by the ordre de passage, which opened with flou and interspersed with intimate pieces crafted from boxer shorts.
Leather and Illusion
True to LOEWE’s heritage, leather was revered, with draped nappa blousons and aviator jackets making prominent appearances. The Flamenco Purse was reimagined in a new, large size, and prints mesmerized the onlookers by creating illusions of other materials. Buckles weren’t just fasteners but ornaments adorning clothing and accessories, including the biker boots and Squeeze bags.
A Material World
Prints in the collection bore a tactile quality, with tartans reimagined in mille-feuille chiffon layers, enhancing their three-dimensional effect. The garments weren’t mere articles of clothing; they were presences, embodying the moment and echoing Albert York’s sentiment that the real paradise is the one we inhabit.
In Conclusion: A LOEWE Mindscape
LOEWE FW24 was a narrative, a mindscape, where the tangibility of leather and the fluidity of fabric played crucial roles. As the models made their final walk, it became evident that LOEWE had not just presented a collection but had offered a new way to look at the world – with wonder, with reverence, and with a daring to reimagine what a paradise could be in the context of contemporary fashion.
As the fashion world continues to evolve, LOEWE’s FW24 collection stands as a testament to the enduring power of craftsmanship and the ever-relevant conversation between fashion and fine art. In the broader scope of Paris Fashion Week, Anderson’s vision for LOEWE slots seamlessly into the ongoing narrative of luxury and innovation, blending the historical with the avant-garde, and firmly placing the house within the vanguard of fashion’s new Eden.