Loewe's Paula's Ibiza Collection Shows How To Do Carefree Dressing With A Vengeance
What happens when Jonathan Anderson marries a hedonistic mood with plenty of sex appeal.
Four collections in, we've come to accept the yearly collaboration between Loewe and the Balearic cultural hotspot Paula's Ibiza as the last word in the summer party dressing. So how does the Spanish house take things up a notch for the fifth edition of this tie-up which is synonymous with a carefree spirit and bohemian aesthetic?
For creative director Jonathan Anderson, it boils down to imbuing a sense of unbridled pleasure through the way we dress, and in turn express ourselves freely (note how some pieces in this edition are meant to be ambigender, allowing the different sexes to swap outfits liberally). It's a fitting POV given how the world has reopened and how parties, both locally and overseas, are getting back in overdrive.
Nothing says "party" like a healthy serving of sequins.
"Hedonism has been on my mind a lot of late: fun, partying, moments spent together releasing good energies," notes Anderson in the press notes. "The collection is sexy and liberated, with the carefree
attitude that is quintessentially Ibiza."
Indeed, "sexy" is an operative word for this collection. Loewe embraces that body-conscious attitude with lots of skin peeking through short hems, lacing and cut outs. Meanwhile, garments are cut very close to the body to accentuate the curves – with slinky slip dresses, bandeaus and shorts leading the charge.
The gradients that pop up on some of the bags in the collection are an ode to Ibiza's beautiful sunsets.
Completing the celebratory mood of this edition of the Paula's Ibiza collection is the generous serving of sequins as well as the psychedelic ombre hues reminiscent of the the Ibizan sunset.
The former are festooned on bodysuits, tube dresses and bandeaus while the latter appear on some of the house's signature bags such as the Anagram basket tote, the Goya shoulder bag and the Amazona 23.
Fringe details are peppered throughout the collection, including on this leather bracelet pouch, for a touch of hippie craftsmanship.
The islandic influence of this collection is not forgotten: Anderson incorporates vintage surf photography by American photographer LeRoy Grannis as prints and turns to crafty elements such as crochet, overdying on faded denim and fringing in the designs.
If all these pass the chillax-meets-party vibe check for you, then scroll on to see our edit of what you can purchase from the collection which is now out in stores and on Loewe's e-shop.