Loewe Fall 2019 - Runway Review

Having stripped back the UNESCO center for his fall Loewe show, Jonathan Anderson left but one wall lined with miniature oval-shaped portraits featuring 16th and 17th century paintings of English, Flemish, French, Italian and Spanish provenance. Although not a literal inspiration, the miniatures invited guests to closely inspect the rich details of the clothes on display. To wit, a skirt shimmered with fronds of silver streamers; a jacket was woven from panels of leather and bias-cut hammered silk dresses were paired with ostrich feather stoles. By reducing the garments, it all moved beautifully and sensually.

Tactile, luxurious and free of narrative, the clothes spoke for themselves. Anderson doesn't hide the fact that he is obsessed with craft --and this Loewe collection, entitled "My Best Self," was impactful to a fault. And although pared back in its surroundings, the fashion quotient was upped several notches. Intricate textural motifs abound, yet they were beautifully executed to balance the practical with the flamboyant. How else to react to a knitted jumper hung with pompoms or a stunning pearl-encrusted sweater? 

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