LOEWE
Origins
Founded in the 1840's Loewe is LVMH's oldest fashion house. The company was established in 1846 when Enrique Loewe, a German merchant (thus explaining the reason behind the "v" pronounced "w") joined a group of Spanish leather craftsmen stationed in Madrid. In 1905 the company officially attained the title of "Supplier to the Royal Court" from King Alfonso XIII of Spain, ensuring their status in luxurious craftsmanship. The company became highly regarded for their expertise in leather work and fine tailorsmenship. Establishing their luxurious reign began by dressing the royal family of Spain, and has long ruled onto the feeds of our instagram pages and onto the tops of our favorite celeberties.
Loewe introduced its iconic logo in 1970, featuring four interconnected "L" cursive letters, designed by spanish artist Vicente Vela. In 1986 LVMH officially bought the rights to Loewe's international distribution and commerce, acquiring it officially in 1996.
Jonathan Anderson
For the past decade we have seen the vision of Loewe completely transform through the lens of Jonathan Anderson. Born in Northern Ireland in 1984, and growing up in Ibiza as a child, Jonathan Anderson acredits his main inspiration to be contrasting environments. Anderson got his name in the fashion world with his first runways show taking place in 2008 under the name JW Anderson. In September 2013, LVMH took a minority stake in JW Anderson and named Anderson as the new creative director for Spanish luxury house LOEWE.
Loewe With Anderson
Loewe has always been a classic couture house not really one to delve much into experimentation with distinct looks, or uncommon aspects, so with Andersons introduction into the brand his unique creative angle has completely transformed the fashion house. An example of his daring approach to fashion is his recent SS23 pixelated glitch runway show where the designs seemed to be somthing right out of Minecraft. The garments appeared 3D right on the models bodies, the range of clothing stemed from T-shirts to hoodies to even trousers. In the same runway show he also introduced the iconic Anthuriums flower petal collection reminding his audience the diversity there is in the treasure chest that is his imagination. The ode to the flower consisted of one big Anthurium blooming out of the runway, as well as sprouting models sporting the flower in various garments.
The Iconography of the Loewe Shoe
Loewe is known for their whimsical approach to footwear, with heels resembling those of Minnie Mouse, deflated balloons as heel feet, and blooming flowers sprouting out of the shoe straps, it is safe to say that their shoes are a statement piece and a big part of what makes up their brand identity. Making such unique shoes has allowed for their distinct motifs to be immediately recognized by consumers and has quickly become a fan favorite because of this.
Recent Marketing Campaigns
The video linked below; directed by Ally Pankiw, Netflix director for Black Mirror episodes such as Joan is Awful and more cult favorite shows, depicts in a humorous way the many diffrent ways the name of the iconic brand is thought to be spelled. Starring Dan Levy, from Schitts Creek, and Audrey Plaza, from White Lotus, the video is nothing short of an amazingly entertaining marketing campaign, styling pieces from the brand, in an ode to the diffrent eras in fashion.
"Eras of Confusion"
Challengers Movie
Anderson took a big leap this recent year, venturing into the world of costume design for his friend Luca Guadagino's movie, Challengers, starring Zendaya. As High- Snobiety states: "ZENDAYA'S HOTTEST FILM YET INVOLVES LOEWE & A LOVE TRIANGLE". Guaradaginos, array of works consist of "Call Me By Your Name" starring Zendaya's close friend Timothy Chalamet, as well as various short film projects for brands such as Jill Sanders, Dior and Fendi and collaborations on distinct projects with Raf Simons. Noting this its no surprise the looks have been capturing the likes of Loewe lovers as well as red carpet enthusiasts, with custom looks from the brand created for the premiere of the movie as well.
Loewe Legacy
As Loewe continues to grow and venture into new heights, the limitless potential of the brand is astounding to observe. Weather it be in a new form of funky shoes, pixelated garments or gargantuan flowers, it is safe to say that Jonathan Anderson never fails to disappoint and continuously puts forth nothing short of a spectacle in his shows and masterpieces in his garments. Looking toward the future it is exciting to see where the legacy of the brand will lead to next.
References
https://glamobserver.com/the-history-and-evolution-of-loewe/
https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/loewe-ss22-collection-paris-pixel-hoodie-dress/
https://thursd.com/articles/loewe-included-anthuriums-in-their-latest-runway
https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/loewe-on-cloudtilt-2023
https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/challengers-trailer/
https://www.vogue.com/article/zendaya-loewe-tennis-ball-heels