Loewe and Dior highlight contemporary painters in their Paris fashion shows.
Installation view of Isabelle Ducrot’s work at Dior’s spring/summer 2024 haute couture presentation, 2024. Photo by Laura Sciacovelli. Courtesy of Dior.
At two different fashion week shows in Paris this month, contemporary painting took a starring role, as luxury brands Dior and Loewe both featured paintings as a large part of their collection presentations. Loewe’s autumn/winter 2024 menswear collection was brought to life with the help of Los Angeles–based painter Richard Hawkins. Meanwhile, Dior’s spring/summer 2024 haute couture collection was set against a backdrop created by Isabella Ducrot.
Led by creative director Jonathan Anderson, Loewe’s show featured specially created digital collages by Hawkins resembling stained glass windows. Seven of these paintings adorned the walls of the venue, creating a “white cube” gallery backdrop for the fashion show.
View of Loewe’s autumn/winter menswear 2024 presentation, with works by Richard Hawkins, 2024. Courtesy of Loewe.
Elsewhere, Dior presented its collection against the backdrop of Isabella Ducrot’s installation Big Aura. The work, installed at the Musée Rodin, depicted 23 oversized dresses inspired by the attire of Ottoman sultans, symbolizing the extravagance of haute couture. The dresses were set against a contrasting black-and-white striped background, resonating with the designs on the catwalk, by Maria Grazia Chiuri.
Ducrot, who is 93 years old and was only discovered by the art world late in life, has a current exhibition with Petzel Gallery, “No Words,” on view at the gallery’s Upper East Side location until February 17th.
