PFW: Loewe’s ‘Radical Reduction’ For Spring/Summer 2025

In Jonathan Anderson's madcap world, less really is more

loewe-ss25 — Loewe Spring/Summer 2025 (Photo: Loewe)

“What happens when one takes all the noise away?” asks Jonathan Anderson in his show notes for Loewe Spring/Summer 2025, perhaps reflecting on his ten years of success at the Spanish luxury house. In stripping away embellishments and extravagant styling, the creative director put forward a collection that celebrated the potential of foundations. But of course, this is Anderson we’re talking about, and what this collection pulled off with just the reworking of silhouettes and fabrications punctuates an incredible decade.

In a stark white space, with nothing but a sculpture by Tracey Emin titled ‘The only place you came to me was in my sleep’ (2017) standing quietly, the setting served as a reminder of the delicate tension between vulnerability and resilience. There, Anderson presented a collection that was a masterclass in minimalism with a radical twist. Inspired by the idea of ‘radical reduction’, the Irish designer explored the power of silence, peeling away the excess to reveal silhouettes that command attention without bells and whistles. Yet, for a show about reduction, the effect was as mesmerising as ever, with every movement, shift and print constantly inviting you to look closer and second-guess.

On the tailoring front, we saw more curves and fluidity, creating an effortless flow around the body that only the most precise craftsmanship could achieve. Dresses and skirts looped in futuristic crinolines with wiring that allowed garments to expand and protrude, blurring the lines between structure and movement on both diaphanous and opaque garments.

Anderson’s clever interplay of proportions saw T-shirts paired with slim trousers, subverting notions of the everyday with his trademark sense of humour and eye for hyperbole. As usual, nothing was quite as it seemed, and returning motifs of feathers, rubber-like outerwear and ultra-mini dresses were present in various ostensible renderings. Think knits that shimmered with sequins all over, paintings printed on feathers and even garments constructed entirely of mother-of-pearl shells all brought a whimsical sense of opulence to seemingly casual wear.

Grounding these ethereal silhouettes were signature Loewe accessories, all of which have commercially prospered since Anderson’s reign: lace-up Oxfords, high-top Ballet runners, and the debut of the trapezoid-shaped ‘Madrid’ bag—named after the brand’s home city. The iconic ‘Puzzle’ bag also appeared this season, crafted in playful and feather-light squishy leather.

Like Emin’s work, the Spring/Summer 2025 collection captures a moment of pause, leaving room for the imagination to take flight and compelling us to expand our perspective. In a world full of noise—both good and bad—Anderson’s work proves that sometimes, less truly is more.