Loewe changes face: what to expect from the McCollough and Hernandez duo?
A shock departure, a surprise appointment, and a future to reinvent for Loewe. The New York duo’s gamble intrigues as much as it fascinates.
McCollough & Hernandez: a new lease of life for the Spanish house
It’s official as of Monday morning: Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, co-founders of Proenza Schouler, take over as artistic directors of Loewe. They succeed Jonathan Anderson after eleven years of acclaimed creative leadership. This American tandem, trained at the Parsons School of Design, left their own label in mid-January. This suggests a strategic reorientation.
Their appointment, though prescient, confirms a current trend in fashion: putting craftsmanship back at the heart of creative discourse, while nurturing a connection with contemporary culture. In a press release, the two designers underlined their admiration for Loewe’s heritage, saying they wanted to perpetuate the link between craftsmanship and artistic innovation.
A symbolic and high-stakes handover at Loewe
This change marks a turning point. Under Anderson, Loewe established itself as a viral force, mixing pop references, cutting-edge craftsmanship and editorial audacity. McCollough and Hernandez, figures on the New York scene, are expected to maintain this course while asserting their own stylistic language.
Their roadmap is already mapped out: they will take charge of all collections, from clothing to leather goods. Their approach, shaped by aesthetic rigor and an obsession with detail, seems compatible with the DNA of the house, founded in Madrid in 1846 as a collective of leather craftsmen.
Madrid as a starting point
Prior to any creation, the duo plan to visit Loewe’s historic workshops, explore the company’s archives and meet the craftsmen. A process of familiarization essential to building a coherent transition. The date of their first collection is not yet known, but anticipation is mounting.
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