Is Northern Irish designer Jonathan Anderson leaving Loewe to take over as creative director at Dior?
In the fashion world’s revolving doors, it’s already been quite a year. John Galliano leaving Maison Marginal after ten years; design duo Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez stepping down from Proenza Schouler, the brand they founded 23 years ago; and Matthieu Blazy announced as the new creative director of Chanel.
The latest news is that Jonathan Anderson is set to leave Loewe after eleven years to take over as creative director at Dior, replacing Maria Grazia Chiuri, House of Dior’s first female creative director since 2016 who will present the SS25 Haute Couture Collection in Paris this month.
The former Northern Ireland native has been hailed in fashion circles as nothing short of a wunderkind. He worked for Prada on the visual merchandising team in London, while studying at the London College of Fashion, and cites the late Manuela Pavesi – right-hand woman to Mrs Prada – as a major influence in his aesthetic. He debuted his menswear collection at London Fashion Week in 2008, with his first standalone collection for women presented in 2011. He was the first designer to win both womenswear and menswear designer in the same year at the British Fashion Awards in 2015.
His menswear collections, in particular, have been headline grabbing for their inclusion of halternecks, lace shirts, dresses and platform heels. When critics scratch their heads in disbelief at his experimentation, he points to Jean-Paul Gaultier. By his own admission, he hates the unisex moniker. “I find it very difficult to see the boundary between womenswear and menswear. I’ve never gone out to do something controversial, I find it mundane that people think that; there are a lot easier things out there to provoke a reaction.”
His appointment as Creative Director of Loewe was possibly one of the most inspired fashion hires of all time. The so-called “Spanish Hermès” was languishing in its discreet butter soft leathers until Anderson took over, introducing a new look and logo. Loewe’s profits shot up 300 per cent. On his role, he said, “For me, the creative process is this giant patchwork of information. Today’s creative director has become more of a consumer of imagery or information in search of the new, weird and wonderful”.
Anderson’s enthusiasm is all-encompassing as I discovered when I visited Casa Loewe headquarters in Madrid’s Salamanca district shortly after he took over at the heritage brand. It includes a flower shop, inspired by Constance Spry at the entrance of the airy store, punctuated with art (by Sir Howard Hodgkin, Edmund de Waal, Richard Smith) as he sees his customers as art enthusiasts. “All I wanted from the beginning was to turn Loewe into a cultural brand rather than a fashion brand.”
This year, he collaborated again with Uniqlo in the preppy-inspired SS25 collection, following his first collaboration with the high-street brand in 2017, when he promised “a wardrobe that is universal and quirky.” Equally quirky was last year’s capsule collection with Guinness, featuring limited edition swag with “a smiling pint”. This playful take follows his head-turning animal clutches and viral Puffin clutch.
It’s no surprise then that he boasts sell-out collaborations with Topshop, Aldo and Versus, in addition to ongoing contracts with Sunspel and Swarovski, where he made crystallised shoes. Alexa Chung, Rihanna and Rita Ora are fans, and he can be found in all of the best boutiques – Liberty, Brown’s, 10 Corso Como, Opening Ceremony and Dover Street Market.
He may be an acquired taste, but there’s no denying his unique vision, technical brilliance and ground-breaking approach to fashion. If he does replace Chiuri, who has been an inspirational for women at the house, it will be interesting to see how he tackles the feminine designs and attention to detail it’s famous for. Expect a new look, which will be exciting to witness, if not wear …
