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Loewe (fashion brand)

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Not to be confused with Loewe (electronics).

Loewe S.A.
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryFashion
Founded1846; 178 years ago (1846)
FounderEnrique Loewe y Roessberg
Headquarters
Madrid
,
Spain
Key people
ProductsReady-to-wear, haute couture, cosmetics, fashion accessories, jewelry, perfumes, watches
RevenueIncrease €626 million (2022)[1]
Increase €128 million (2022)[2]
Number of employees
Increase 1,300 (2018)[3]
ParentLVMH
Websiteloewe.com

Loewe S.A. (/loʊˈɛveɪ/ loh-EV-ay, Spanish: [loˈeβe], German: [ˈløːvə]; stylized as LOEWE) is a Spanish luxury fashion house specialising in leather goods, clothing, perfumes and other fashion accessories. Founded in 1846 in Madrid, Loewe is part of LVMH since 1996, and is the oldest luxury fashion house of the holding.[4]

The company was established in Madrid in 1846 by a group of Spanish leather craftsmen, and the brand was created in 1876 when Enrique Loewe joined the group. By the early 20th Century, many notable people took great interest in Loewe and Queen Victoria Eugenie became a regular customer. In 1905, Alfonso XIII granted them the Royal Warrant of Appointment and thus Loewe became Purveyor of the Royal Household of Spain.[5] The company quickly grew in popularity and was promoted by figures such as Ernest Hemingway, Ava Gardner, Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich and Sophia Loren amongst others.[6]

History

[edit]
A Loewe boutique in Madrid, 1905

Loewe was founded in 1846 in Madrid by a group of Spanish leather craftsmen, and the brand originated in 1876 when Enrique Loewe y Roessberg, a German merchant of Hessian origin, joined the group.[7] In 1905, Alfonso XIII granted Enrique Loewe y Hinton, a descendant of the original brand founder, the title of Purveyor to the Royal Court. His wife, Queen Victoria Eugenie, frequently visited the store on Príncipe de Madrid street.[8]

By the 1970s, Loewe was expanding into perfumes and fashion with the creation of the Loewe anagram logo, designed by Spanish painter Vicente Vela. Giorgio Armani and Laura Biagiotti subsequently designed Loewe's womenswear collections.[9]

In 1986, LVMH bought the rights to Loewe's international distribution.[9] It acquired Loewe completely in 1996. That year, Loewe had sales of about $200 million, among the smallest of LVMH's companies; ready-to-wear was responsible for 10 percent of that total.[10] By 1997, Narciso Rodriguez joined the company as new creative director[11] and the brand had its first Paris runway presentation at LVMH headquarters in the fall/winter 1998 season.[12] Both José Enrique Oña Selfa (2000[9]–2007[13]) and Stuart Vevers (2008–2013)[14][15] followed. During Vever's tenure, Loewe scaled back fashion to concentrate on handbags, leather apparel and a substantial gift business based on leather picture frames and leather boxes.[16]

Dress by Jonathan Anderson featured in the Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jonathan Anderson became Loewe's creative director in 2013.[17] His first ready-to-wear collections for Loewe were presented in 2014.[18]

Since 2014, Loewe's headquarters – including the design team, which had previously been based in Madrid – has been located on Place Saint-Sulpice in Paris.[19] The company remains based in Spain. Manufacture, particularly of leather goods, takes place in Barcelona and Getafe, near Madrid.[20]

Members of the Spanish royal family, including Queen Sofía and Queen Letizia, have been seen several times wearing Loewe handbags.[21]

In 2019 lawsuit brought to the Tribunal de commerce de Paris, Loewe invoked a non-compete case related to its employment of designer Bruno Sialelli who became artistic director at Lanvin at a time when he was still bound by commitments linked to his prior position.[22] As part of an out-of-court settlement in 2020, Loewe and Lanvin reached an agreement.[23]

Following high-profile collaborations, including designing several custom performance looks for American singer Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour and strong online and physical campaign performance in China,[24] Loewe topped the Lyst's Hottest Brand Index for the first time in the second quarter of 2023,[25] a position previously held by Prada.[26]

Locations

[edit]

Loewe stores are located worldwide. In 2014, Loewe's then-143 stores were concentrated mainly in Spain and Japan, which respectively had 37 and 27 locations.[27] The first London shop opened in 1963,[9] on Mayfair's Mount Street.[28] 

Loewe opened its first American store in New York, a three-story shop at the Trump Tower,[29] in 1983;[30] it closed 1993.[10] Today, the company has at least seven stores in the US: Miami's Design District (since 2016),[16][31] the Wynn in Las Vegas (since 2018), New York (since 2019),[32], Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles (since 2022) [33], Bal Harbor in Florida, Boston, and River Oaks District in Houston.[34]

In 2016, Loewe opened Casa Loewe Madrid, the brand's first flagship in Madrid and – with 10,750 square feet (999 square metres) – its largest store in the world. It is located in the ground floor of the company's head office in a landmark 19th-century building.[35] In 2019, Loewe outgrew its London store in Mount Street and opened Casa Loewe at 41-42 New Bond Street.[36]

With 41 stores in Mainland China,[37] high profile expansions include Loewe Perfumes in Deji Plaza, Nanjing in 2022[38] and Loewe Gaozhai, a Casa Loewe concept, in Taikoo Li, Chengdu in 2024.[39]

A leather handbag of Loewe in the Times Square store

Loewe Foundation

[edit]

In 1988, Enrique Loewe Lynch, great-grandchild of the firm's creator, founded the Loewe Foundation, a private cultural foundation that supports cultural events and exhibitions.[40] As of 2024, his daughter Sheila Loewe is the President of the foundation supporting design and craftsmanship. The foundation supports international prizes for craft and poetry, collaborates with major arts festivals, and also supports other art, photography, and dance.[40]

The foundation received a Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts from the Spanish government in 2002,[41] which is the highest honour given by the government.[40]

Poetry Prize

[edit]

The Loewe Foundation International Poetry Prize was established in 1988.[40] On its 30th anniversary in 2017, the foundation released a documentary film, POESÍA eres tú, on National Poetry Day.[42]

Dance

[edit]

From 2007 until 2018, the foundation supported the dance season at the Teatro Real in Madrid. In 2013 it became official sponsor of the Compañía Nacional de Danza, led by José Carlos Martínez. It has also supported and promoted María Pagés' dance company, which aims to spread flamenco and Spanish culture around the world. Since 2011 it has had a partnership with the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, and in 2018–19 was official sponsor of the Ballet de l'Opéra de Lyon in France.[43]

Photography

[edit]

Since 2011 the foundation has partnered with PHotoEspaña, the largest photography festival in Europe, in most years showcasing the work of a well-known photographer.[40] In 2021 (digitally in 2020; physical exhibition postponed owing to the COVID-19 pandemic[44]) the foundation presented a photographic exhibition, Divine: an icon of queer culture.[45] which was held at CASA LOEWE in Madrid, and honoured queer icon Harris Glenn Milstead, better known by his stage name, Divine.[46][44] Featured photographers have included George Platt Lynes, Ron Galella, Tina Modotti, Peter Hujar, and David Wojnarowicz.[40]

Craft Prize

[edit]

Following an initiative of designer Jonathan Anderson, the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize was established in 2016, with the inaugural prize awarded in 2017.[47][40] The prize, awarded to a working artist, is worth €50,000, the awards are hosted in a different country each year. Past Loewe Prize winners include:[40]

Artist residency

[edit]

Established in 2021, the Loewe Foundation / Studio Voltaire Award international artist residency comes with a year-long studio space at Studio Voltaire, a £25,000 ($32,522) stipend for accommodations and living costs, a production and travel budget, and a professional development program. Recipients have since included Beatrix Pang (2022) and Prajakta Potnis (2024).[56]

Campaigns

[edit]

Loewe's global brand ambassadors have included Penélope Cruz (2013–2015),[57] Josh O'Connor (since 2017),[58] Leo Wu (since 2022),[59] Tang Wei (since 2022), South Korean girl group Nmixx (since 2022),[60] Taylor Russell (since 2022),[61] Taeyong (since 2023),[62][63] Yang Mi (since 2023),[64][65] Jamie Dornan (since 2024),[66][67][68] Giselle (singer) (since 2024),[69] Lim Ji-Yeon (since 2024)[70] and Wang Yibo (since 2024).[71] Other celebrities who have featured in the brand's advertisement campaigns include Gisele Bündchen (2017),[72] Tracee Ellis Ross (2021),[73] Gillian Anderson (2021),[74] Greta Lee (2023),[75] Maggie Smith (2023),[76] and Kit Connor (2024).[77]

During Stuart Vevers's tenure, most Loewe advertising campaigns were shot by Mert Alaş and Marcus Piggott.[78] For his first Loewe ad campaigns, Jonathan Anderson worked with Steven Meisel;[79] he has since worked with Tyler Mitchell (2020) and Juergen Teller (since 2021).[80][81]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Maguire, Lucy (1 March 2024). "'We're not afraid to do things that are left field': Loewe's CMO on its killer TikTok strategy". Vogue Business. Archived from the original on 2 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Loewe SA almost doubles its profits in 2022". Fashion Network. Europa Press. 21 November 2023.
  3. ^ "Loewe Careers". Loewe Official Site. Archived from the original on 28 July 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Jonathan Anderson: "Fashion is a competition"". Vogue. 28 September 2018. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  5. ^ Melissa Magsaysay (9 September 2011), Luxury leather label Loewe lands in L.A. Archived 13 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ "Loewe Handbags: Fiercely Spanish It-Bags". The Italist. 24 June 2016. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  7. ^ "The Art of Craft: A History of Loewe". Heroine. 15 March 2019. Archived from the original on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Modapedia: Loewe". Vogue. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  9. ^ a b c d Jamie Huckbody (17 October 2002), The king of leather Archived 26 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine The Independent.
  10. ^ a b Constance C.R. White (17 June 1997), Rodriguez Joins Loewe Archived 8 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine New York Times.
  11. ^ Suzy Menkes (17 June 1997), In Fashion Chess, More New Moves Archived 26 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine International Herald Tribune.
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  15. ^ Eric Wilson (24 June 2013), Vevers Lands Top Spot at Coach Archived 23 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine New York Times.
  16. ^ a b Miles Socha (26 September 2014), Jonathan Anderson Preps Loewe for Next Chapter Archived 15 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine Women's Wear Daily.
  17. ^ "J.W. Anderson Biography". Vogue. 21 August 2013. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
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  19. ^ Matthew Schneier (25 June 2014), A Provocateur Prepares to Show His Quiet Side Archived 26 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine New York Times.
  20. ^ Miles Johnson (29 November 2012), Domestic production: Profitability begins at home as companies tap rich skill base Archived 27 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine Financial Times.
  21. ^ Chua, Paolo (22 March 2019). "Loewe, the Brand Beloved by Spanish Royals, Opens a Store in Manila". Esquiremag.ph. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  22. ^ Paris Court Sets Hearing for Lanvin, LVMH Non-compete Case Women's Wear Daily, 10 April 2019.
  23. ^ Mimosa Spencer (6 February 2020), EXCLUSIVE: Loewe, Lanvin Reach Agreement in Non-compete Case Women's Wear Daily.
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  28. ^ Jo Ellison (26 April 2019), Loewe, luxury and the enduring allure of London’s Bond Street Archived 31 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine Financial Times.
  29. ^ Anne-Marie Schiro (7 February 1983), A New Wave of Boutiques Rolls in From Europe Archived 24 October 2022 at the Wayback Machine New York Times.
  30. ^ Bernadine Morris (21 September 1983), Loewe Leather Arrives Archived 5 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine New York Times.
  31. ^ Tilly Macalister-Smith (3 December 2015), Loewe opens new store-cum-gallery in Miami’s Design District Archived 15 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine Wallpaper.
  32. ^ Katherine Bernard (19 December 2019), Loewe Opens a Store Archived 15 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine New York Times.
  33. ^ Booth Moore (16 November 2022), EXCLUSIVE: Loewe’s First L.A. Store Is Filled With Sun, Ceramics and a Bust of Justin Bieber Archived 15 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine Women's Wear Daily.
  34. ^ Lisa Lockwood (16 July 2024), Loewe’s New Stores in Texas, Florida Feature a Personal, Elevated Touch Archived 26 July 2024 at the Wayback Machine Women's Wear Daily.
  35. ^ Miles Socha (17 November 2016), ‘Think Loewe,’ Jonathan Anderson Tells Spain Archived 5 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine Women's Wear Daily.
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  37. ^ Hu, Denni (28 June 2024). "Loewe Unveils Destination Shop at Taikoo Li Chengdu". WWD. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  38. ^ Ryder, Bethanie; Nan, Lisa. "How Loewe gets China right | Jing Daily". jingdaily.com. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  39. ^ Wu, Wenzhuo. "How Loewe crafts its China strategy with Chengdu store opening | Jing Daily". jingdaily.com. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  40. ^ a b c d e f g h "Home". LOEWE Foundation. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  41. ^ "El Inaem renueva el convenio con la Fundación Loewe para el patrocinio de la Compañía Nacional de Danza". Gobierno de España, Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. 27 April 2016. Archived from the original on 15 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  42. ^ "International LOEWE Poetry Prize". LOEWE Foundation. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  43. ^ "LOEWE sponsorship for Madrid´s Teatro Real and Barcelona's Liceu". LOEWE. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  44. ^ a b Hess, Liam (23 June 2020). "Filthy and Flamboyant, This '70s Drag Icon Stars in Loewe's Pride Collection". Vogue. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  45. ^ "Some of the images that make up the exhibition 'Divine' of..." Getty Images. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  46. ^ "Divine: an icon of queer culture". LOEWE. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  47. ^ Caroline Roux (12 July 2019), Loewe Foundation Craft Prize showcases contemporary innovation Archived 25 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine Financial Times.
  48. ^ "Craft Prize 2017". Loewe Craft Prize. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  49. ^ "Craft Prize 2018". Loewe Craft Prize. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  50. ^ "Craft Prize 2019". Loewe Craft Prize. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  51. ^ "Craft Prize 2021". Loewe Craft Prize. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  52. ^ "Loewe Foundation Craft Prize 2021". Les Arts Décoratifs - Site officiel. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  53. ^ "Craft Prize 2022". Loewe Craft Prize. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  54. ^ "Craft Prize 2023". Loewe Craft Prize. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  55. ^ "Craft Prize 2024". Loewe Craft Prize. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  56. ^ Francesca Aton (18 July 2024), Indian Artist Prajakta Potnis Receives the 2024 Loewe Foundation / Studio Voltaire Award ARTnews.
  57. ^ Miles Socha (8 January 2013), Penélope Cruz Fronts for Loewe Campaign Women's Wear Daily.
  58. ^ Cal Morris (13 December 2017), God’s Own Country star Josh O’Connor is the new face of Loewe menswear Archived 15 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine Hero.
  59. ^ "Loewe Taps Leo Wu — a 'Master' Craftsman of Acting — as Ambassador". www.yahoo.com. 22 February 2022. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  60. ^ Pawa, Anjana (30 September 2022). "K-Pop Girl Group NMIXX Are Loewe's New Ambassadors". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  61. ^ Miles Socha (2 November 2022), Loewe Names Taylor Russell a Global Ambassador Archived 15 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine Women's Wear Daily.
  62. ^ Socha, Miles. "EXCLUSIVE: Loewe Adds K-Pop Sensation Taeyong as Global Ambassador". WWD. WWD. Archived from the original on 20 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
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  69. ^ "aespa's Giselle Announced As New Brand Ambassador For LOEWE". Soompi. Retrieved 26 September 2024..
  70. ^ "Lim Ji-Yeon Joins LOEWE as New Brand Ambassador". Dscene. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  71. ^ Zhang, Tianwei (21 June 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: Wang Yibo Named Loewe Global Brand Ambassador". WWD. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
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  76. ^ Ellie Violet Bramley and Lauren Cochrane (27 October 2023), Loewe and behold: how older models are casting a spell on fashion The Guardian.
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  79. ^ Nancy Hass (19 August 2019), The Man Turning European Fashion Into Something Raw and Real Archived 13 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine T: The New York Times Style Magazine.
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  81. ^ Josh O’Connor Models a Sexy Oyster: Shirt in the Loewe Pre-Fall 22 Campaign Archived 13 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine Interview, 23 May 2022.
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