It’s one of the most highly anticipated shows in the schedule, with creative director Jonathan Anderson’s vision for the Spanish fashion house (one of the world’s oldest luxury brands having been founded in 1848) helping to maintain its hyped, highly-in-demand status 175 years on.
Case in point: at their Paris Men’s fashion week show on Saturday, their FROW was brimming with A-listers from around the world. Most notably spotted? TV’s favourite toxic family had a mini-reunion, with Succession leads Brian Cox and Nicholas Braun — aka Waystar media mogul Logan Roy and bumbling Cousin Greg — together again. They posed for photographs at the LA Garde Républicanine’s equestrian arena, where the presentation took place.
They weren’t the only HBO cast to reunite. The White Lotus stars Murray Bartlett of season 1 and Theo James of season 2 also turned up alongside show creator Mike White. Bartlett, who played the fan-favourite hotel manager Armound — was recently cast in a pre-FW23 advert for the brand.
Also in attendance was Louis Vuitton’s new golden boy Pharrell Williams. After shutting down the internet with a blockbuster runway-cum-Jay-Z-concert on Tuesday, he wore the collection’s most viral item to Loewe’s front row — a yellow Speedy bag that has already been coined the “Millionaire” bag. Made from crocodile leather and affixed with both a chunky gold chain and diamond padlock, all of which was handmade in one of LV’s fairly young exotic leather ateliers (the accessory will reportedly be a staggering $1 million (£790,000).
Model and podcaster Emily Ratajkowski was also there to witness the sparkly menswear collection that glimmered against a backdrop of three Lynda Benglis’ water fountains. “I think the sparkle gives you this idea of illusion when you see it on screen or in the flesh,” Anderson said of the first few looks, which featured water-drop, crystal-encrusted jeans and polo tops.
As for stand out silhouettes? OTT high-waisted trousers came out on top, with Anderson sending models down the runway in rib-high pants that he said he made with the “idea of a fisheye lens looking up at someone”. Oversized coats also made an impact — with Ratajkowski borrowing a leather one to attend the show in (“I’m naked underneath this,” she later told i-D when asked how to dress for the hot weather).
Known for his surrealist take on fashion, having debuted frog-shaped mules and video game-esque pixelated jumpers in the past, the more subdued collection was a nod to Anderson’s recent pursuit of reduction.
Not quite quiet luxury, but a distinctly wearable collection that you can both work and play in, nonetheless.
