This is not the designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez’s inaugural “Paris rendezvous”. Prior to the global health crisis, the pair behind Proenza Schouler devoted a couple of seasons to the French metropolis. Back then, their relocation to Paris was designed to elevate revenue and amplify the brand’s worldwide renown. Yet, many perceived an ulterior motive – the pursuit of a leading designer role at a prominent French fashion institution.
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That moment has arrived. This March, McCollough and Hernandez were designated as Loewe’s new artistic directors, taking over from Jonathan Anderson. Some months prior, they communicated their departure from their New York-based trademark, which they had established nearly a quarter-century ago, to concentrate on their fresh assignment. This represents a substantial shift, which they’ve both embraced with fervor, primed for a new journey. Having resided in Paris for half a year, the designers, upon convening at the headquarters on Rue Scribe, radiated zest and assurance leading up to the presentation.
As articulated by the designers, the central tenets of their vision encompass Spanish identity, artistry, and their distinct mark. Loewe, trailing only Hermès, stands as the second-oldest opulent brand globally, having been initiated in Madrid in 1846. Artistic expertise resides in its essence, established by their predecessor, who introduced the annual Craft Prize. Now, it falls to Jack and Lazaro. At the portal, attendees were greeted by Ellsworth Kelly’s Yellow Panel With Red Curve, a piece procured from a designer-acquainted collector, symbolizing the brand’s radiant modern epoch.
The artwork’s vibrant shades echoed the selection’s colors: glossy leather overcoats, multi-layered, frilled scarf garments, jeans, shirts, tees, and windbreakers—classics reimagined through the lens of exceptional craftsmanship. Denim is fashioned from fractured leather, shirts—likewise of leather, manually folded and embellished with an airbrush. Even the tops and tees are fashioned from “leather threads” enclosing a wire, resulting in characteristic crumpled outlines. Additional trials encompassed novel technologies – such as dresses composed of 3D-printed textile akin to velvet, or a windbreaker crafted from a unique silk Gore-Tex.
The season’s signature accessory is the Amazona tote, boasting a solitary handle and rendered in leather, suede, or reptile skin. It’s sufficiently roomy to house a laptop, yet maintains an informal and functional appeal – mirroring the New York pair’s aesthetic. Their initial gathering underscores that irrespective of extracting the duo from New York, the essence of New York remains inseparable from them. And this very trait could symbolize Loewe’s paramount asset.
According to Vogue.com.
