At Loewe’s Spring 2023 show, the architectural form of an anthurium plant towered above the runway. was

Lines, shapes, tension and precision blur the line between man-made and hyper-real. Giant anthurium flowers bloomed as tops, grew as shoulder straps, and were planted in strappy sandals.

Last season, Anderson took surrealism to new extremes with balloon-shaped shoes, lip-etched bustiers, and mini dresses that incorporated literal car silhouettes. It was clear that the thesis behind it called for making “ordinary” things like fashion feel strange, and perhaps unfamiliar.

But heading into Spring 2023, Anderson has peeled back the layers of surreal circus-like elements to reveal something even more powerful. A new vision of bold shapes and allusions to fashion as a shield. Take, for example, his polo mini-his dress with front and center pleats and his strapless gown with a large pannier sticking out at the waist. It was a close-up fashion that was then pulled back.

The same thread of tension continued throughout the collection, with elongated leather sleeves that almost touched the floor. It was also shield-like in its execution, revealing Anderson’s statement about dullness in all its essence.

Elsewhere, the neckline of the sweater was distorted as if it had been passed through a funhouse mirror, and the rounded, cardboard-like façade partially obscured the face. It represented an awkward space between what was hidden in plain sight, but still showed so much. The same goes for mini-her slip-her dresses with drapes. The irony of the collection was incredibly present.

It’s interesting to consider the role clothing plays in women’s lives as we enter a recession and simultaneously move towards a life free of Covid-era restrictions. The modern version of the pannier-adorned dress reflected an extra visual effect, similar to the sweater shield.

In the 18th century, the pannier was also a symbol of economic status. The wider the dress, the wealthier the wearer. We also did some of the most practical activities like people entering a door without turning sideways. Impracticality becomes luxury, and another Anderson collection is brilliantly lucid and virtually avoids form.