Hugely inspired by aristocracy and the richness of 16th and 17th-century details in clothing, Jonathan Anderson has sent yet another collection down the runway full of intricate details, precious craftsmanship and an escapist vibe. For Loewe Spring/Summer 2020, the British designer has set the presentation, once again, at the Maison de l’Unesco, turned for the occasion into a sort of pristine sanctuary decorated with potted pampas grass and monolithic amethyst geodes.
As the Spanish house states, the collection alludes “to a patrician elegance – where extremes of femininity and luxury are pushed to ethereal heights.” This aristocratic feeling is obvious already in the first look, composed of a tunic with a ruff collar and a pair of matching trousers, all made in delicate white lace with black details. But every look that follows has the same vibe: from the second one, a voluminous maxi black dress resembling a sort of cape – with a ruff collar as well –, or the third one, which has turned viral on Instagram, a yellowish lace dress with a pannier shape that looks like a minimalist and contemporary reinterpretation of the dresses worn by Spain’s monarchy memebers in Velázquez’s Las meninas – that same dress appears later in the show but in a black version with white details, and a similar version of it is presented as well in purple tones and long sleeves.
However, don’t think of maximalist, Baroque-style pieces. Instead, the Spring/Summer collection’s silhouettes are generally eerie, relaxed and flowy. It features lots of dresses – especially long –, blouses, skirts, trench coats and skirts, many of which draw inspiration from past eras, as we can see as well in the billowing sleeves, which offer a hint of drama. But Anderson uses those references to build statement pieces for modern-day women, those who live in the present. Their nostalgia for the past relies more, as the designer knows and has been working on since he became the Creative Director of the house, on traditional craftsmanship. And this collection is full of it, as we can see in the many different types of exquisite lace (geometric, marguerite, guipure, Chantillly…), for example. Or on the new bags he’s released, like the Balloon bag, a sculpted drawstring bucket-style in three sizes crafted in materials like calfskin, crochet raffia and classic canvas. In all, Anderson has presented another masterfully crafted collection for those wanting to feel free and majestic at the same time.
However, don’t think of maximalist, Baroque-style pieces. Instead, the Spring/Summer collection’s silhouettes are generally eerie, relaxed and flowy. It features lots of dresses – especially long –, blouses, skirts, trench coats and skirts, many of which draw inspiration from past eras, as we can see as well in the billowing sleeves, which offer a hint of drama. But Anderson uses those references to build statement pieces for modern-day women, those who live in the present. Their nostalgia for the past relies more, as the designer knows and has been working on since he became the Creative Director of the house, on traditional craftsmanship. And this collection is full of it, as we can see in the many different types of exquisite lace (geometric, marguerite, guipure, Chantillly…), for example. Or on the new bags he’s released, like the Balloon bag, a sculpted drawstring bucket-style in three sizes crafted in materials like calfskin, crochet raffia and classic canvas. In all, Anderson has presented another masterfully crafted collection for those wanting to feel free and majestic at the same time.
