It's always thought of mine when wandering through a gallery or museum - what would the deceased artist think of the world that now appreciates their work? Many might have imagined their pieces languishing in dusty corners. Painters like Van Gogh, shunned by the artistic establishment in their lifetime, would likely be both befuddled and, hopefully, elated. So when I entered the Loewe show, I could only imagine what Albert York, the famously reclusive American artist, would think of his pieces hanging there. The Loewe Autumn/Winter 24/25 show was held on the outskirts of Paris in the Château de Vincennes, a fortress constructed from 1340 to 1410; in its courtyard stood the temporary structure where the show would take place. The walls, floor, and benches were covered in pistachio green, a colour common in many of York's paintings. This hue, amidst the hustle and bustle of the proceedings, brought a sense of calmness to the event.
"I think we live in a paradise, this is a Garden of Eden, really it is. It might be the only paradise we ever know, and it's just so beautiful, with the trees and everything here, and you feel you want to paint it. Put it into a design." Albert York (1928–2009)
With the green in tow, there were arches upon arches, making one feel as if the gallery erected had been sitting on Cork Street for years. There, in the space between the fashionistas, hung eighteen pieces of Albert York's work, a mighty feat considering he is said to have only ever completed 200-250 pieces. In fact I believe it could effectively be York's first European show. These 12-inch by 12-inch paintings, soft, charming, and even childlike, looked at home. Whether York, who was perennially unsatisfied with his own work, would have thought so is another story. He was known to scrape down the panels and start all over again. In some cases, Cecily Langdale of Davis & Langdale, who represented York, recalled she received the paintings wet, thinking that he "had to get it out of the house in order not to destroy it." So, for his work to be the lynchpin in one of the most anticipated shows of Paris Fashion Week may have filled him with trepidation. Perhaps not an uncommon feeling in a room where everyone is a little on edge, both metaphorically and literally, as we take our seats on the green-coated benches.
Then the music started loud and thudding. We looked around to see in which direction the models would appear in this maze of a gallery. The phones rose up, we turned our heads in their direction, and there, Jonathan Anderson's latest collection for Loewe materialised. It is filled with references that any lover of English interiors would enjoy, from 18th-century Chelsea porcelain tureen and plate-inspired bags, to flawlessly tailored overcoats with collars fashioned from real wood chips in the style of Chippendale chair legs. The show ended with a 1920s Etonian-inspired coat; at first glance it was an elegantly tailored morning coat, but on closer inspection, it had been embroidered with tiny caviar beads. It was so intricate to be understated. Only under close examination would you realise what a truly extraordinary piece it was. It made me think of Cecily Langdale's interview on Loewe's Instagram a week before when she described the feeling when you looked at one of York's pieces; "You would see the tactility of the paint right away if you were in front of a picture. I mean, there are people who don't respond and I don't believe in talking people into art, and so If you don't get it you don't get it.. and tough."
