LOEWE is a brand founded over 175 years ago, so why have we been hearing so much about it in the last decade? It seems that the Spanish luxury brand has one Irishman to thank for putting it back in the limelight. Jonathan Anderson spent 11 years as creative director of LOEWE, only stepping down in 2025 to take up the position of creative director for Dior’s menswear, womenswear, and couture collections. The seemingly overnight sensation of a brand has a long history of artisanal craftsmanship and leatherwork.

Like many luxury brands of the era, LOEWE was originally founded in 1846 as a leather goods company, specializing in bags and accessories. It wasn’t until 1872 that Enrique Loewe Roessberg, a German leather artisan, acquired the brand and named it after himself, ultimately consolidating the brand under the label LOEWE.

Photo courtesy of LOEWE

For a while, LOEWE served Spanish royalty as their primary clientele, but celebrities like Ernest Hemingway, Sophia Loren, Rita Hayworth and Marlene Dietrich were also regular customers of the brand. Eventually, they decided they would expand their client base to increase sales, and, after a long period of focus on leather goods, the brand launched its first ready-to-wear 

Photo courtesy of LOEWE   womenswear collection in 1965. 

By the 1970s, LOEWE had gone global, with stores opening far beyond the streets of Madrid, serving new demographics of clients. In 1983, the first menswear collection was launched. Both the menswear and womenswear collections were primarily made of leather, true to house roots, but this expansion to ready-to-wear allowed them to reach new clients and ultimately establish themselves in the luxury market.

Womenswear collection courtesy of LOEWE

Menswear collection courtesy of LOEWE

Fast-forwarding to Jonathan Anderson’s arrival as creative director in 2013, the brand’s client base was much more conservative. Anderson’s expertise in blending fashion with art eventually shifted the demographic and opened LOEWE to younger markets. For SS 2015, he designed the first proper menswear ready-to-wear collection, expanding their client base significantly. He has not shied away from collaborations, including designing for celebrities who had previously not been associated with the brand. There are quite a few notable collaborations during Jonathan Anderson’s time as creative director. 

From 2021 to 2023, a series of collaborations with Studio Ghibli, a Japanese animation studio, took place. Each capsule collection was based on one movie from the studio. First, My Neighbour Totoro in 2021, Spirited Away in 2022, and lastly was Howl’s Moving Castle in 2023. Despite Studio Ghibli being founded in 1985, it has maintained significant cultural relevance globally. This series of collaborations appealed greatly to younger audiences who have a sense of nostalgia for the films. In doing this, LOEWE also established itself as a young, playful, and cool brand that younger generations can relate to, something many luxury houses don’t lean into.

Some pieces from the My Neighbour Totoro capsule collection. Courtesy of LOEWE

Some pieces from the Spirited Away capsule collection. Courtesy of LOEWE.

Some pieces from the Howl’s Moving Castle capsule collection. Courtesy of LOEWE.

For the first of the celebrity collabs, Rihanna, who wore a custom LOEWE outfit for her half-time performance during the 2023 Super Bowl.

Photo courtesy of LOEWE

Next, as part of her Renaissance tour, Beyoncé and her dancers were fitted in bejewelled bodysuits, and were possibly one of the most talked about looks from that tour, featured in multiple performances in different colourways.

Getty Images/Kevin Mazur

Then, during the Cowboy Carter tour, Beyoncé once again worked with Anderson and LOEWE, creating multiple unique outfits for her performances.

Photos courtesy of LOEWE

Most recently, in 2024, Anderson served as an honorary chair for the Met Gala, dressing numerous celebrities, including Anna Wintour, Greta Lee, Jamie Dornan, Taylor Russell, Josh O’Connor, Ayo Edebiri, Dan Levy, Jonathan Bailey, and Ariana Grande, all in custom LOEWE garments for the evening.

Photos courtesy of LOEWE

Loewe has been named the hottest brand of the year 3 times since 2023. The first time was in Q2 of 2023, coinciding with high-profile celebrity wear. Next was Q2 2024, around the Met Gala, which they sponsored. The last time they were number 1 on the Lyst Index was Q1 2025, when Jonathan Anderson announced his departure from the brand. Now that he’s designing for Dior, will LOEWE still hit the same, or should we shift our sights to Dior as the next big thing?