PFW: Loewe S/S 2017

Loewe S/s 17
Loewe Spring/Summer 2017. Photo credit: Umberto Fratini

Jonathan Anderson has a unique way of looking at things and that vision comes to life with his Loewe collection for spring/summer. There are a lot of interesting things to say about this line, but at the same time, one finds a lot of questions needing to be answered. As a result, the line ends up being a bit polarizing. Those who like it are thrilled. Those who don’t are ready to burn Anderson at the stake.

For example, consider the different ways he chooses to add volume to the clothes. There are some trend-adhering poofy sleeves, but then he also extends the same tactic to skirts where it has a very different aesthetic. At times, the looks are very light and airy, constructed with gentle, lightweight fabrics that flow away from the body. Then, he goes with a very fitted silhouette and slaps a huge, heavy leather belt right in the middle. Both are good looks, but the conflicting aesthetics are puzzling.

There’s also the matter of accessories, as in: what the heck are those things? Arousing the most curiosity is a necklace that might be a leaf or could be a bat. Even after looking carefully at the still photos, I can’t decide which it is. Either way, the thing is huge and would place significant weight around the neck. There are also the wrist/ankle pieces that look a little bit like flowers but some people think they’re bells. Again, they’re large and in this case protrude significantly from whichever joint they’re attached.

Where the looks are lightweight and voluminous is where the collection feels like summer. These pieces will catch a breeze and keep one cool through the hottest months. Where Anderson goes all in with a black leather top that looks almost like a piece of armor, one seems to have good reason to question his intentions. There is no way one does not swelter in that top if the temps are anywhere above 50° F.

Then, there’s the matter of the video playing all the way through the collection. It shows a young man swimming in the ocean fetching 50-gallon blue drums. This was projected on wall-sized video screens with no explanation. No clue as to what might be in the drums. No hint as to what connection there is between the video and this collection. At that immense size, it was distracting and the sound of waves grew monotonous after a few short minutes.

Anderson attempts to bring us around to his way of seeing fashion and for much of the show he is easy enough to follow. There are still questions we’d love for him to answer, though. That thing really does look like a bat.

More from charles i. letbetter
Harnessing The Power Of Influencers For Growth
One of the primary reasons that fashion runways no longer carry the...
Read More
0 replies on “PFW: Loewe S/S 2017”