Trompe-L'OEWE: JW Anderson Tricks the Eye for FW22
It's all fun and games for LOEWE Fall/Winter 2022, with creative director JW Anderson is tinkering with proportion even more than he did with his eponymous label's Fall/Winter 2021 collection.
For LOEWE FW22, Anderson isn't just warping shirts or blowing up trousers, though. Almost the entire collection is a series of playful tricks, from shirts that can be flipped up to make a mask (à la Doublet) to pullover sweaters fitted with knee-length "gloves."
This LOEWE show is really defined by the wilder pieces. For instance, hoops are built right into tees and trousers, creating voluminous loops that enshroud the body, while other wacky garments shapeshift the chest into a 2D heart shape.
Coat pockets are flipped inwards and pulled apart, granting access to their interiors, while what appears to be a huge shearling vest from the front is revealed to be bizarro looped shawl of sorts when viewed in profile.
There are coral-like woven pullovers with a plethora of neck holes and no obvious torso, giant "HELLO" belt buckles, sculptural sea anemone bags, and hoof-like shoes that fasten with a forefoot drawstring, transforming the wearer's foot into a walking work of art.
FW22 is perhaps LOEWE's most adventurous collection in years, rife with the kind of dynamic craziness that demonstrates JW Anderson's vivid imagination. It's not some kind of cold, unsmiling artistic utterance, either, unless you think that heart-shaped nipple cut-outs aren't fun.
If anything, these nuttier bits run the risk of being too kooky for their own good, but they're anchored by some surprisingly classic items, like crisp hidden placket overcoats, slinky jersey turtleneck vests, and washed denim jeans.
Sure, they're styled with Grommet-laden outerwear, skin-tight tees printed with bare chests, and ripped denim skirts, but it's boring to be basic.
