Show review in a sentence: A multitude of possibilities awaits the future
Designer: Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez
Location: Cité Internationale Universitaire, Paris
The vibe: It’s hardly rocket science to understand why Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez—who have spent the past two decades refining their vision in New York—were tapped to take over at Loewe. Once a house struggling to stay afloat in the noughties, it has since transformed into one of fashion’s greatest success stories. The duo’s signature lies in their precision: clean lines, an instinctive balance of proportions, and an ability to layer unexpected fabrics while playing with texture such as fringes, bonded leather, or something altogether new. Their women are always cool, intentional, and sexy.
The vision: This afternoon, at the Cité Internationale Universitaire, anticipation hung heavy in the air as the duo unveiled their debut Loewe collection. What followed was perhaps the most saturated play on colour-blocking of their careers: Lamborghini yellows, fire-engine reds, emerald greens, persimmon oranges splashed across shirts tucked into diving suits or stiff, sculptural leather jackets that clung to the body like armour, raising the question of whether mobility was even possible. The effect recalled Taylor Russell’s metal jacket from 2023.
Yet beneath the spectacle, there was a sense of restraint, as though the designers were intent on ticking all the right boxes to reassure Loewe’s existing clientele. Craft and material innovation were present: leather grated to resemble terry-cloth bathrobes (you could literally smell the spicy notes from the skin as models whisked past, as if they were freshly grated moments just before the show). There were also sculptural constructions: a flamenco bag detail placed squarely at the back of a trapeze-shaped leather coat, or knits which appears like wire mesh rippling across the body as if caught mid-breeze.
Familiar silhouettes also surfaced: waterfall sleeves, unexpected asymmetric drapes, and a scattering of handkerchief dresses that could have slipped seamlessly into Loewe’s Paula’s Ibiza line. And, of course, the bags, Loewe’s beating heart, were nothing short of spectacular. The single-handle Amazona in grey crocodile was sublime, while the archival leather lantern returned in a new guise: a fringed, basket-like bag that fused heritage with a fresh spirit. The new Loewe woman, under these two remarkable designers, feels calculated for now. But the time will come when, through the vision of McCollough and Hernandez, she will emerge sexy, intuitive and wilful all at once.
What to shop from this collection: I’ve always believed in owning at least one piece from the debut season of a newly appointed designer—almost like a keepsake. And today at Loewe, my obsession is the new Amazona. Reimagined as a single-handled carryall, the roomy bag now comes slouchier and in the richest of skins (look 4). Then there’s the trapeze-shaped leather coat with a flamenco bag detail (look 11), a rare piece that manages to feel both impactful and timeless, immune to the ebb of passing trends. Finally, the yellow bodysuit-meets-blazer with an exaggerated skirt flap combo (look 17) stood out as both eminently wearable and dramatically bold.
1 / 11
Look 4
2 / 11
Look 11
3 / 11
Look 12
4 / 11
Look 17
5 / 11
Look 28
6 / 11
Look 32
7 / 11
Look 34
8 / 11
Look 40
9 / 11
Look 45
10 / 11
Look 51
11 / 11
