Loewe
Loewe is a Spanish luxury fashion house known for leather craftsmanship, handbags, ready-to-wear, accessories, fragrances and its close association with contemporary art and craft.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Loewe is a Spanish luxury fashion house headquartered in Madrid and principally associated with leather goods, clothing, shoes and fashion accessories. Its documented origins reach back to 1846, when a group of Spanish leather artisans established a workshop in Madrid. In 1872, Enrique Loewe y Roessberg, a German merchant of Hessian origin, consolidated the business under the Loewe name, providing the foundation for the house that later became internationally recognized. The brand developed from a specialist leather workshop into a broader luxury business through a combination of retail expansion, royal recognition, product diversification and creative direction. It opened a store on Madrid’s Calle Príncipe in 1892. In 1905, Enrique Loewe y Hinton, the founder’s son, received the distinction of Purveyor to the Royal Court from Alfonso XIII. This association helped reinforce Loewe’s position within Spain’s high-end leather and luxury-goods market. During the twentieth century, Loewe expanded beyond traditional leather articles into fashion and fragrance. By the 1970s, the house had developed perfume and fashion activities and adopted the anagram logo designed by Spanish painter Vicente Vela. Leather remained the central expression of the brand, while ready-to-wear, shoes, jewelry, watches, cosmetics, perfumes and lifestyle goods broadened its offer. Handbags became especially important to Loewe’s modern identity, serving as a practical demonstration of the house’s materials expertise and design language. LVMH became Loewe’s sole owner in February 1996. Under the group’s ownership, the brand continued to operate from its Spanish base while developing an international retail and creative presence. A succession of designers contributed to its evolution. Narciso Rodriguez joined in 1997, Stuart Vevers became creative director in 2008, and Jonathan Anderson was appointed creative director in 2013. Vevers maintained and developed the accessories and handbag categories, while Anderson’s tenure was associated with an increasingly experimental approach to leather, fashion, craft and visual culture. The house also developed a stronger public profile through art, design and craft initiatives. In 2016, Loewe established the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, an initiative supporting contemporary craft and helping connect the brand with makers and artists beyond conventional fashion. Pascale Lepoivre became chief executive officer in 2016. In 2025, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez were identified as the house’s creative directors. Loewe’s current scope includes ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, accessories, jewelry, perfumes, cosmetics and watches, with ateliers and headquarters in Madrid and teams and operations in Paris. Its positioning combines Spanish heritage, luxury leather expertise, high-fashion design and contemporary craft culture.
History
Loewe’s history begins in Madrid in 1846 with a collective of Spanish artisans specializing in leather goods. The enterprise was later consolidated under the name of Enrique Loewe y Roessberg, a German merchant of Hessian origin, who joined the Madrid workshop community in 1872. The Loewe name therefore reflects both a Spanish artisanal foundation and the contribution of a German-born merchant to the business’s development. Retail was an early part of the house’s growth. In 1892, Loewe opened a store on Calle Príncipe, one of Madrid’s prominent commercial addresses. The business subsequently received an important mark of royal recognition: in 1905, Alfonso XIII granted Enrique Loewe y Hinton, the founder’s son, the title of Purveyor to the Royal Court. This distinction strengthened the association between Loewe and high-quality Spanish luxury production. Over the following decades, Loewe expanded its activities beyond its original workshop model. Leather remained its defining competence, but the company entered fashion and fragrance. During the 1970s, the house introduced the anagram logo designed by Vicente Vela, a Spanish painter. The mark became one of the most recognizable elements of Loewe’s visual identity. The product universe also widened to include ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, jewelry, watches, cosmetics and perfumes. Loewe’s corporate history changed substantially in 1996, when LVMH became its sole owner. The brand remained centered in Madrid, while its creative and commercial activities became increasingly international. In 1997, Narciso Rodriguez joined the company. Stuart Vevers later served as creative director from 2008, developing the brand’s handbag and accessories business while retaining its leather-centered character. He was succeeded by Jonathan Anderson in 2013. The Anderson period was associated with a more visibly experimental relationship between fashion, material and craft. Loewe’s menswear and womenswear collections increasingly treated leather and other materials as vehicles for unusual shapes, tactile effects and conceptual design. The brand’s leather expertise continued to underpin its commercial offer, particularly its handbags and accessories, while fashion collections and cultural projects helped position Loewe within contemporary luxury rather than only traditional Spanish leather retail. In 2016, Loewe created the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize. The initiative gave the house an institutional platform for engaging with contemporary makers and reinforced its public identity as a supporter of craft. Pascale Lepoivre was also appointed chief executive officer in 2016. In 2025, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez became the identified creative directors, marking another transition in the house’s design leadership. Today, Loewe operates as an LVMH-owned Spanish luxury fashion house. Its headquarters and ateliers are in Madrid, with teams and operations in Paris. The business covers leather goods, clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, perfumes, cosmetics and watches. Its historical continuity rests on Madrid leather craftsmanship, while its present-day identity combines that heritage with international fashion, art, design and craft culture.
- 2025
New creative directors appointed
[1]Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez were identified as Loewe’s creative directors.
- 2016
Craft Prize and CEO appointment
[1]Loewe created the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, while Pascale Lepoivre became chief executive officer.
- 2013
Jonathan Anderson appointed creative director
[1]Jonathan Anderson took over the creative direction of the house.
- 1996
LVMH becomes sole owner
[1]LVMH became Loewe’s sole owner in February.
- 1970
Anagram logo introduced
[1]The house developed its anagram logo, designed by Spanish painter Vicente Vela. The exact introduction year is reported here as the 1970s rather than a specific year.
- 1905
Royal-court recognition
[1]Enrique Loewe y Hinton received the title of Purveyor to the Royal Court from Alfonso XIII.
- 1892
First store on Calle Príncipe
[1]Loewe opened its first identified store on Madrid’s Calle Príncipe.
- 1872
Business consolidated under the Loewe name
[1]Enrique Loewe y Roessberg consolidated the artisan group under his name.
- 1846
Madrid leather workshop established
[1]A group of Spanish artisans specializing in leather goods established the business’s Madrid roots.
Products and positioning
Spanish luxury rooted in leather craftsmanship, with an experimental contemporary-fashion identity and a strong connection to art, design and craft.
Leather goods
Leather goods and handbags
Leather goods are the foundation of Loewe’s business and identity. The category includes handbags and other leather accessories for women and men. The house’s design reputation is closely tied to the combination of Spanish leather craftsmanship, material experimentation and contemporary silhouettes. Handbags became particularly important to the brand’s modern development, alongside wallets, keyrings and related small leather articles.
Fashion
Ready-to-wear
Loewe’s ready-to-wear offer extends the house beyond accessories into seasonal fashion collections. It includes womenswear and menswear and has been used by successive creative directors to explore the relationship between clothing, leather, construction, texture and craft. The category forms part of the brand’s international luxury-fashion presence.
Fashion accessories
Shoes and accessories
The footwear and accessories ranges complement Loewe’s leather-goods business. They include shoes and a broad selection of fashion accessories, allowing the house to apply its material and design language across products worn or carried with ready-to-wear collections.
Beauty
Perfumes and cosmetics
Loewe expanded into fragrance and related beauty products during its twentieth-century development. Perfumes and cosmetics extend the house’s identity into accessible luxury categories while retaining the brand’s visual and olfactory connection to its fashion and leather heritage.
Luxury accessories
Jewelry and watches
Jewelry and watches are part of Loewe’s broader luxury assortment. These categories support the house’s full-look positioning and sit alongside leather goods, shoes, ready-to-wear and fragrance within its international product portfolio.
Lifestyle
Home and lifestyle goods
The brand has also offered home and lifestyle items, including objects and accessories such as towels, journals, wallets, keyrings and beach paddles. These products translate Loewe’s design and craft vocabulary beyond clothing and personal accessories.
Brand decisions
2016
Creation of the Loewe Foundation Craft PrizeStrategyBackground
Loewe sought to formalize its relationship with contemporary craft and the wider creative community.
Action taken
The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize was established.
Aftermath
The initiative became part of the brand’s cultural and craft positioning.
1996
LVMH takes sole ownership of LoeweM&ABackground
Loewe’s corporate structure changed when LVMH became the sole owner of the Spanish fashion house.
Action taken
LVMH acquired full ownership of Loewe in February 1996.
Aftermath
Loewe continued as a Spanish luxury house within the LVMH group, retaining Madrid as its headquarters and artisanal base while operating internationally.
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