Jonathan Anderson has always been one to experiment but this season’s Loewe collection played out like a science lesson. Fixated on placing “a stress on materiality [to bring] the silhouette into full focus,” pieces were constructed in various materials: from his go-to leather to the likes of copper, parchment and satin.

Reflectivity, opacity and malleability were areas of intrigue, as Anderson used a limited colour palette to not detract away from composition.

The preoccupation with his tools stemmed from observing the practices of old master painters. American artist Julien Nguyen, who looks to the Renaissance movement and the sci-fi genre to inform his style, created three original artworks for the show. His oeuvre evidently influenced Anderson’s vision, as models wore long-sleeved tops that sprouted angel wings in various textiles – borrowing from Renaissance iconography but with an unconventional bent.

Elsewhere, extreme scoop-necked blazers-turned-dresses were worn with models’ hands purposefully placed at the opening, leaving one arm trailing. A layered leather vest featured folded sections that concertinaed at the hemline, almost as if the silhouette was in a state of flux. Jackets comprised of shiny sheet metals with protruding collars were styled with silken separates to play on the distinction between the rigidity of the fabrics. The Puzzle Tote bag also made its debut – an evolution of a Loewe favourite, rendered in a different shape. In short, with his reductionist approach, Anderson proved that studying the old masters can indeed result in new tricks.