Paris Fashion Week: LOEWE presents its spring/summer 2023 collection
Spanish fashion house LOEWE recently presented its spring/summer 2023 collection during Paris Fashion Week. The vast white arena of the French Republican Guard was decorated with a giant red anthurium flower blossoming out of the ground, with the brand's creative director, Jonathan Anderson, proving once again that he holds no equal in Paris.
The idea of a shorter, tighter silhouette runs through the entire collection. The ultra-short trapeze-shaped parkas were designed so stiffly and tightly that they resemble the austere garments of Spanish Inquisition-era queens tightly wrapped in corsets. Under their parkas, models wore dresses with intricate floral motifs printed on a 3D printer from plastic.
On the catwalk we saw lots of colours and floral prints, but rather than evoking the gentleness of nature, the outfits express restraint, collectedness and strict discipline. Laconic sleek hairstyles and almost no makeup emphasized this ascetic. Lines are the defining axis of this collection: the austere, elongated line of the arm breaking through the slits on the disproportionately long sleeves of leather dresses and the oblique line of buttons on white shirts, which, if desired, can be safely undone, giving the image a much desired freedom and vibe, turning the shirt into a flowing tunic.
There were two highlights in this show, which seemingly connected the past with the future through the present. The first was a sumptuous night sky-coloured velour dress with a wide corset at the hips, which opened the show. Looking at it, one can't help but think of the ceremonial portraits of Infanta Margarita by Diego Velazquez. Jonathan Anderson here, perhaps without even realizing it, takes the place of the court painter of the Spanish Royal Family — the first artist in the history of painting, who declared himself a creator and artist. He reaised the status of the artist who in Spain, in the XVII century, was considered a mere artisan. The designer also takes it to a new level of creativity, offering one of the most striking and definitely memorable moments of the show: sand-coloured silk trousers with printed prints and a blue hoodie, so masterfully designed that it creates a n effect of a pixelated picture coming to life.
All this splendour of Anderson's creative vision is carried confidently into the future of spring 2023 by luxury pairs of satin shoes covered in balloons (250 per pair!). Will it next year? be carefree and joyful again, allowing us to float in clouds of dreams and reverie, or will we need these balloons to fly away from the austere and stiffened reality depicted in his most recent collection?
If you're looking for more inspiring collections to sate your appetite for fashion, don't miss our selection of the best shows to see in Paris.
Photo credits: LOEWE Fashion Show in PFW SS 2023.