Loewe bowls over Paris Fashion Week; tribute to Miyake

PARIS (AP) — Loewe’s ever-creative director, Jonathan Anderson, became the toast of Paris Fashion Week on Friday with his subtly provocative, concept-driven runway show triumph that had critics and VIP guests, including Karlie Kloss and Alexa Chung, bowled over.

Meanwhile, U.S. Vogue’s Anna Wintour announced that next year’s Met Gala in New York will be a homage to the late Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld.

Here are some highlights of spring-summer 2023 collections:

IN LOWE WITH LOEWE

Loewe, the hip heritage brand whose “w” is pronounced “v,” is going from strength to strength under the artistic stewardship of Northern Irish designer Johnathan Anderson.

Friday’s concept-driven collection — the highlight of the season so far — was a case in point. Like old school collections used to be, Anderson takes one main theme and develops it until it spawns others creatively within the show like a symphony, all held together with invisible strings. A giant bright red tropical flower, identified as an anthurium, was the centerpiece of this minimalist runway — producing thoughtful variations on the flower theme.

It was at times literal, such as the giant white anthurium serving as the front piece on an A-line minidress. At other times it was conceptual: The minimalist shape of a black bustier dress opening the show evoked the purity of the single waxy petal — and its silhouette itself resembled an upside-down flower, like a take on 1940s Dior.

Distortions were everywhere. An ash bustier gown sported an inside peplum to create a surreal curtain-shape in the skirt. The 1940s was also apparent in the babydoll gowns whose myriad-colored stripes confused the eye.

Shoes became ruffles of white fabric like petals brushing the floor — or a mop? — while stilettos were intentionally oversize...