ANDREA JANKE Finest Accessories: Geometric Patchworking by LOEWE F/W 2013/14

Images of Penélope Cruz in Loewe’s latest campaign have been making the rounds on the fashion blogosphere for the past month or so and creative director Stuart Vevers continues to be enamored by the sophisticated and talented Spanish actress. “A lot of my inspiration came from taking stills from her Almodóvar films,” he said. “I wanted a muse with some depth.” Judging by the slick, hard-edged sensuality of the collection he showed last week, which was spliced with razor-sharp leather pencil skirts slit to reveal over-the-knee stockings and the kind of garters you’d find in a men’s sock drawer, it’s likely that Vevers took cues from Cruz’s most powerful and seductive roles. (Her spellbinding performance in Broken Embraces, a film noir tale of love and obsession, springs to mind.) That tough female protagonist has taken the spotlight on several runways this season often clad in black leather from head to toe, as she was tonight.

That leather has become ubiquitous in a working wardrobe serves Vevers well, given the rich history of Loewe in Spanish leather goods signature artisanal details, like hand-braided leatherwork and embossing, ran throughout. The British-born designer has been living in Madrid for more than two years, and is getting to know more of the country with each new collection. He traveled to Cadaqués, former home of Salvador Dalí, last season, and this time his quest for inspiration led him to Bilbao. “The Guggenheim is what everyone thinks of first in terms of architecture, but I was surprised to find that graphic element in the older parts of the city too,” said Vevers, pointing to the geometric patchworking on leather sweatshirts that was echoed in small, minimalist shoulder-strap bags. Shearling was a new addition for fall, and overall the clothes had a textured hand that was on trend while few will be able to pull off his black lambskin onesie, the extra-long cream aviator coat was a welcome proposition. In that sense, Vevers is finding new range within the scope of where the house has been, and where it’s headed.