Scene setting: This year, S|2, Sotheby’s Contemporary in London, hosted an exhibition on Signals London, the avant-garde 1960s art gallery that championed experimental and non-established artists. It’s significant that creative director Jonathan Anderson chose to recreate the façade of this gallery for his S/S 2019 Loewe show at the Maison de L’Unesco, with a catwalk designed as a series of exhibition rooms. The design not only celebrated the links between the Spanish house and the art world, yet also drew a connection to the Loewe Craft Prize, where Anderson champions flourishing or untapped artistic talent. One room was humming with Lara Favaretto’s spinning car wash brushes; there was a space lined with record players and the ceramics of Ryoji Koie; a room populated with rustic baskets by Loewe Craft Prize finalist Joe Hogan; and another pouring fourth with floating soap bubbles.
Mood board: Anderson’s designs for Loewe proposed fluid, intricately honed and artful pieces – the exhibition set-up was a fitting one. A series of opening looks featured colourful fronds of ostrich feathers that brought delicate contrast to the whirring car wash bristles in Favaretto’s work. These were presented alongside fit-and-flare dresses in patchwork foulard, voluminous puffball skirts and knitwear with exaggerated bell sleeve collars. The joy of Loewe’s collections lie in their individuality. These are looks you can create at will, whether you favour a cocooning kaftan patchworked with suede, a neat tailored suit or a flaring smock dress.
Finising touches: Loewe’s basket bag was an Instagram feed regular over the summer, and for S/S 2019 this style was reimagined in colourful weaves and floral embellishments. We took note of a new crochet shoulder bag formed of colourful floral shapes destined to be another sure hit for summer. §
