Loewe FW 23 Combining trompe-l'œil Art and Fashion

Jonathan Anderson, the Creative Director for Loewe, has once again created pieces that play tricks on your eyes. With this year being his 10th with the brand, he is currently taking the Spanish Luxury House in a direction of playful minimalism. 

The Fall Winter 23 Loewe show was held at the Esplanade Saint-Louis, far from many other Paris Fashion Week events. The set was designed by Lara Favaretto, and featured different confetti cube installations.  

Actors Jamie Dornan and Dan Levy were some of the first to arrive. British girl group Flo was also there. Models Emily Ratajakowski, Naomi Campbell, and Imaan Haman attended the show but did not walk. K-pop girl group NMIXX, who are also Loewe Global Brand ambassadors, and South Korean rapper Taeyong were also in attendance, both causing a ruckus with fans upon arrival. Unfortunately, the Loewe it-girl, Taylor Russell, was not in attendance, but she did model two looks the day before the show on her Instagram. 

Most of the looks throughout the collection were loose-fitting. “I do feel like less is more. But in a new way,” Anderson said about his last collections, and it’s clear he’s sticking with the theme on this one. This season, Loewe played with many raw concepts, letting clothing and textures exist with minimal cuts and hems. One look seemed to be a white silk fabric wrapped around the model as she held it up. Another with the same silk but a simple rough-cut sweetheart neckline. 

Some pieces, you could say, were a part of the “cartoonification” of Loewe. For example, look 39 was a dress that reminded me of something you would see on a Polly Pocket. And look 38 was similar to the colors of the cartoon character Patrick from Spongebob with a coral top and a lime green skirt. 

As we know from recent collections, Anderson loves creating a good optical illusion. His men’s collection, which debuted in January, was inspired by surrealist artists, and now he has taken inspiration from trompe-l'œil art. The collection was consistent with illusions, that although you are aware of the tricks taking place, they still challenge you. In his SS23 collection, he had pixelated hoodies, and in this one, he has several dresses with blurring effects, some made to look like coats, others lined to look like two dresses in one. 

Throughout the show, many looks were styled with leather shoes that model pants when they fall to your ankles, a tamer shoe game for Loewe compared to past seasons. Some other shoes I wished we had seen more of were the knee-high boots and the gorgeous velvet heel with the bow. 

A sure fan favorite from the collection was a gorgeous faux fur jacket that was white at the top and brown at the bottom, one of its kind in the collection. A collection that at first glance appeared dull was the ultimate illusion made with so much intention and detail. It was filled with fun characters and almost felt nostalgic. Lastly, let’s put some respect on their name and all say it together, Loewe is pronounced Low-way-vay. 

Strike Out, 

Morgann Rhule 

Boca Raton

Morgann (yes with 2 n’s) is a content writer for Strike Magazine. Her best friends describe her as a shopaholic bookworm who gives the best advice. Born in Jamaica, she wears it proudly with a beaded red, green and gold necklace she never takes off. You can reach her on insta @morgannrhule or email morgannrhule@gmail.com