Jonathan Anderson’s best Loewe looks of all time
Following the announcement that fashion's puzzlemaster is waving goodbye to his Spanish home of 12 years, we collect our favourite looks from his reign
TO SUSTAIN A fashion house’s success is an accomplishment; to change its trajectory is a triumph.
Creative directors that have been extolled for achieving such feats in recent years include Daniel Lee (for his work at Bottega Veneta), Lee’s BV successor, Matthieu Blazy (the French-Belgian designer is now the CD of Chanel), Alessandro Michele (the man responsible for Gucci’d 2010s pizzaz), the late Virgil Abloh (the American designer who broke new ground during his tenure at Louis Vuitton) and Kim Jones (the brains behind the last six years of Dior menswear, and all of the seminal collaborations that have come with it).
Then there is Jonathan Anderson – the redefiner.
It was announced early this week that Anderson would be leaving Loewe after 12 transformative years at the Spanish luxury label.
In September 2013, the Irish designer was hired to helm the brand. Alongside the announcement, LVMH shared that it had taken a minority stake in his namesake outfit, JW Anderson.
At the time, the clothes coming out of JW were sculptural, playful and forward-thinking.
The vibe at Loewe, on the other hand, was traditional sophistication under the leadership of Stuart Vevers.
Anderson valiantly re-interpreted Loewe’s essence, bringing his culturally resonant vision to the heritage brand for a modern audience – pushing the envelope a little more each year.
With the brand, Anderson has aided Daniel Craig as he’s smoothly shedded his double-0 status; dripped out Rihanna for her Super Bowl performance; bedazzled Beyoncé for moments on her Renaissance tour; kitted out Anna Wintour for the Met Gala; served as costume designer for Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers and Queer; designed a luxury IT bag, the Puzzle Bag; collaborated with the likes of On and Studio Ghibli pivotal time in their histories; established the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize; catalysed the gorpcore movement with the Eye/Loewe/Nature line; boosted the fashion credentials of the world’s rising stars (from Kit Connor to Ayo Edebiri) and gave the world a final lasting memory of Dame Maggie Smith (the late actress appeared in the Loewe spring/summer 2024 pre-collection campaign just a year before she passed away).
And that’s merely a snapshot.
So is the below – an array of our favourite looks of Anderson-era Loewe.
1
Look 26 of men’s spring/summer 2025
With a long-sleeve flannel top and voluminous trousers, and a uniquely clasped plaid cape to boot, Anderson leaves Loewe on a high. Where next? There’s a field of possibility.
2
Look 08 of women’s spring/summer 2025
‘Fits formed from feathers . . . has Anderson been hinting at flying the nest since last year? Either way, this gender-neutral ensemble is an avian apex.
3
Look 14 of men’s spring/summer 2024
Instead of depending on 2000s nostalgia, Anderson chose to update the aesthetic for SS24 by taking the classic double denim + Timbs combo and making it sequinned high fashion. The result – modelled by Kit Connor, Joe Locke and Jonathan Bailey during the season – perfectly captures the sartorial zeitgeist of the mid-2020s.
4
Look 12 of men’s spring/summer 2024
An avant-garde opus that pre-dates the famous post-it note dress of similar vein.
5
Look 36 of men’s spring/summer 2024
Anderson has the power to make the familiar feel fresh, as this classic combination proves.
6
Look 37 of men’s spring/summer 2024
Everything here is perfectly balanced. The widths; the colours; the textures; the simplicity + shoe sparkle; and (zoom in) the up-top layering.
7
Look 07 of women’s spring/summer 2024
To make a wearable crochet blanket fashion is no small feat. We believe it’s a coup only the Irish introvert could pull off.
8
Look 06 of men’s autumn/winter 2023
Beyond the metal jacket (which actor Taylor Russell proved could actually be utilised), we’re seeing exceptional uniting of hues, beautiful sheens and those still-coveted hairy Chelsea boots.
9
Look 13 of men’s autumn/winter 2023
A second round of applause for the fuzzy shoes. And, please, may we also acknowledge the fascinating interplay of fabric and form between the sweatshirt and Long Johns, a contrast harmonised by the commonality of sky-like shades.
10
Look 54 of men’s spring/summer 2023
Think back: we’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel that is the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re all very excited to get outside without limitations and brands such as Salomon and Arc’teryx are more popular than ever. Plus, we’ve all spent the last couple of years watching lots of very verdant Studio Ghibli films on Netflix. Has a look ever been so apt?
11
Look 12 of men’s spring/summer 2023
Super luxe attire for the Nintendo adults who enjoy nothing more than escaping into their cutesy virtual avatars.
12
Look 41 of men’s spring/summer 2023
The viral Loewe padded bomber styled with technicolour leggings, a structured branded cap and actually practical yet meticulously crafted trainers. It’s the stuff of your favourite tastemaker’s tastemaker.
13
Look 34 of women’s spring/summer 2023
The eminent pixel look speaks for itself, but allow me to meet my word count:
- A$AP Rocky wore it best.
- A dream come true for moneyed Minecrafters.
- Defo inspired Pharrell’s first collection of LV (but it’s cool as J and P are fashion friends).
14
Look 36 of men’s autumn/winter 2022
Swapping sink drains for buttons is the kind of out-of-the-box thinking that sets Anderson apart from his peers.
15
Look 41 of men’s autumn/winter 2022
Humour plays a big part in Anderson’s creative process. Graphic tees printed with upside-down images of the models rocking them – paired with great jeans and quirky boots – are designed to make you smile.
16
Look 11 of women’s autumn/winter 2022
That bomber jacket, round one. A layer swiftly picked up by Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber and all their friends.
17
Look 27 of men’s autumn/winter 2021
A real pick ‘n’ mix of vibes: a Wes Anderson-esque coat, some bondage leather trousers and a pair of “they’re right proper them” chunky mocassins.
18
Look 38 of men’s spring/summer 2020
Anderson, here, designed something for the man who makes a grand entrance fashionably late to the party and makes an Irish exit just an hour later.
19
Look 23 of men’s spring/summer 2020
A look that has us hoping auteur Tim Burton one day employs Anderson as costume designer.
20
Look 40 of men’s spring/summer 2020
Years before cowboy style re-entered the mainstream, Anderson’s Loewe put its best foot West by working on a ace-high blue denim two-piece.
21
Look 29 of men’s spring/summer 2020
Anderson likes his characters. With this, we picked up “painter” . And we imagine this suede-adorned decorato would exclusively work with Farrow & Ball.
22
Look 23 of men’s autumn/winter 2019
Jonathan William Anderson is very good at knits. This particular one is like something you might see in his eponymous shop, only exaggerated even further.
23
Look 37 of women’s autumn/winter 2019
It’s the asymmetry of the peak lapels that really does it for us. We also get a tingle from Anderson’s use of neutrals to calm the striking suit.
24
Look 26 of women’s spring/summer 2019
Uneven lapels a season earlier, on a cinched blazer, put with some chic belted boots.
25
Look 01 of men’s autumn/winter 2018
Craftsmanship has been key to Loewe since the Irelander took over. See how even a logo sweatshirt is elevated with love.
26
Look 03 of men’s autumn/winter 2018
A shearling coat many industry-insiders – our team included – still dream of.
27
Look 34 of men’s spring/summer 2018
In summer ’18, there was nothing better to be than a Loewe man wearing ensembles like these on European islands.
28
Unnumbered Look from men’s spring/summer 2017
Some smart-casual clashing going on with a outdoorsy jacket atop, heralding the trends that have defined the last few years.
29
Look 08 of men’s autumn/winter 2015
Decade-old Loewe luxury inspired by the seventies still holds up today. Jonathan Anderson, you timeless man.
30
Look 03 of men’s autumn/winter 2015
From his early days at the fashion casa, Anderson unlocked the I’m-rich-and-I’m-comfy aesthetic.
31
Look 1 of men’s spring/wummer 2015
It’s enjoyable and sculptural and respectable and proper. It’s Tate Modern chic, somewhere we imagine Anderson seeks inspiration.
32
Look 06 of men’s spring/summer 2024
From day dot, Jonathan Anderson – a man from a small town in County Londonderry – proved that he was perfectly capable of styling men to appear a part of the top 1 percent.
A version of this story originally appeared on Esquire UK.
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