The paintings of American artist Albert York came to life in the Parisian show space of the FW24 Loewe collection. Transported to an art gallery where all fantasies seemed to become reality, guests sat against the backdrop of luscious shades of green and 18 of York’s paintings, representing the largest collection of the artist’s work outside of the United States. As per usual, Loewe’s creative director Jonathan Anderson created a true idyll for the models to frolic in, dressed up in vaporous gowns and billowing pants.
Celebrating York’s sentiment that the real paradise is the one we inhabit, the collection extended the artist’s reverie to the real world through exaggerated shapes, whimsical prints, and magnified proportions. In search of Eden, the lines between the masculine and the feminine are blurred to ultimately become one idiosyncratic entity arising through the designs.
The opening look, a full-length dress, was deconstructed by using an oversized ornamental belt buckle, cinching the flower-patterned fabric at the waist to reveal an open back and give the bodice a V-shaped silhouette, fusing romantic lines with a hint of surrealism. Ranging from distorted tartans to Ostrich trompe l’oeil hyper-real print, the textures and patterns punctuated the collection, toying with soft and hard lines, and twisting the idea of wealth and opulence on its head. At times transforming a floral tapestry to a beaded ensemble, or expanding a dog in mosaic to an entire dress, Anderson’s playfulness didn’t cease to amaze.
The focus on technicality was evident this season, as models strutted down the catwalk alternating between tailored split-tailed dinner jackets and waistcoats, and boxy sculptural dresses. Prints were refined to emulate the natural quality of other materials, whilst tartans were rendered in mille feuille sliced chiffon to appear 3-dimensional. Seamlessly juxtaposing innovative textures with sophisticated draping, the gown marking the middle of the collection was a true show-stopper, balancing the artistry of the beaded lower skirt with the mastery of the structural bodice.
Acclaimed for its boundary-pushing accessories, the collection had no shortage of extravagant footwear and leather goods. Beaded booties complemented matching ensembles, and slip-on sandals alike belt straps brought subtle playfulness to simpler looks. All eyes were on the vast array of purses showcased in the collection, and the distinctive Flamenco Purse was introduced in a new large size.
Though introduced for the Fall/Winter season, some colours of the collection felt agreeably fresh and spring-like, as light pinks were followed by pasture greens and minty blues, holding onto the warmer days just a little longer before being replaced by browns, blacks, and olive greens.
The final look closed the show in an explosion of pearly beads, as the model flaunted down the runway in a full-beaded 3-piece suit composed of pinstripe straight-legged pants, a light yellow vest, and a tail-coat, concluding this journey into Albert York’s paintings and his Garden of Eden in magical awe.
View the entire LOEWE women’s FW 24 show at loewe.com
words. Leelou S. Reboh
