For design intellectual Jonathan Anderson, a fashion show is never just a case of clothes on a catwalk but the opportunity to explore a wider conversation surrounding wearable craftsmanship and fine art.
But for his latest Loewe collection, the Northern Irish designer was inspired by an unusually mainstream subject matter - the humble selfie.
True to form, there was not a pouting celebrity snapshot in sight at this morning’s showcase. Instead, it centred on the image of a man known as Robert Cornelius from 1839 which is thought to be the earliest example of self-portrait photography in existence.
In the showspace itself, a collection of miniature oval-shaped portraits from the 16th and 17th Century were hung upon the white-washed walls of Paris’s heritage UNESCO building, depicting both famous and forgotten faces including Mary Queen of Scots and King Charles I.
What followed on the catwalk was a collection of Instagram-friendly trophy pieces for the thinking woman’s wardrobe. Statement accessories spanned winged skullcaps and sculptural block heel boots, while the clutch of iPhone cameras which lined the front row snapped away furiously at the sighting of a leather skirt which streamed with silver tinsel or the drawstring-waist sweatshirt which was covered entirely in pearls.
But Anderson’s intention was never to provide online personalities with clothing designed solely for generating likes, but to cater to the demands of day-to-day dressing too. One rainbow check tailored jacket perfectly encapsulated Anderson’s ability to blur the line between picture-perfection and purpose, as did a kimono coat crafted from a chequerboard of leather and plaid squares.
Intricately woven ribbed knits also transitioned seamlessly into silk slip skirts, while hidden details - such as the internal light and mirror construction concealed within the brand’s new Lantern opera bag - revealed Anderson’s intention that beauty should always be found within.
