Ever since it was announced that Megan Rapinoe, captain of the FIFA World Cup-winning U.S. football team and women’s rights activist, would be the face of Loewe’s autumn ‘20 campaign, we’ve been counting down the minutes until the arrival of the brand’s womenswear collection. In the meantime, Loewe has dropped hints about the collection, releasing still-life photographs of accessories, close-up shots of the clothes, and clips of Rapinoe and her iconic magenta crop. Those invited to the show were mailed pressed vinyl records of the football star’s voice (in addition to a record player, in case they didn’t travel with one in their carry-on).
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Like many others this month, partially in response to the looming threat of the new coronavirus, Anderson chose to broadcast the show live via YouTube. The video featured a split screen, one side showing Gwendoline Christie, Karlie Kloss, Tommy Dorfman, and more arriving at the show, while the other gave viewers a firsthand look at renowned Japanese ceramicist Takuro Kuwata discussing how he adapted his process of crafting ceramics to collaborate with Anderson on a series of accessories for this collection. “Loewe combines elements of fashion, art, and craft,” Kuwata says. “I’m inspired by what the house is doing.” Like Anderson, both Kuwata and Rapinoe are at the top of their respective fields. As masters of their craft, they’re pushing against the boundaries of what they do, to turn their mediums — sport, ceramics, fashion — into something like art as well.
The first look was the epitome of that idea: A vibrant green dress with a narrowed waist and petticoat-like silhouette. The dress let Anderson’s tailoring expertise shine, with everything from the draping to the subtle cap sleeves to the perfectly cropped hem. The same dress would go on to show up two more times, once in royal blue and again in margarine yellow.
“I collect Takuro [Kuwata’s] work and he’s influenced an entire generation of ceramicists,” Anderson said about the artist. Kuwata’s work appeared in the forms of ceramic baubles that were attached to the brand’s new lunch-bag-like drawstring Flamenco clutches, as well as breastplates woven into the centre of dresses.
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Balloon jumpsuits, draped frocks, gargantuan coats, and Loewe’s signature corset-waist fits also appeared in this morning’s show, as did double-balloon gowns à la Balenciaga in the ‘50s, stiff sleeves and collars, and a hefty dose of feathers.
When more designers have found success in going wide instead of deep — of playing in multiple sandboxes and trying their hand at projects outside their core business, Anderson seems to be making the point that there’s value in doing one thing, and doing it really well.