In Madrid, the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize Has a Homecoming—and Opens a New Chapter
Nine years ago in Madrid, Jonathan Anderson launched a project that would serve as the beating heart of his wildly influential 11-year tenure as creative director of Loewe: the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize. An annual exhibition and competition that spotlights makers and artisans from around the world, it quickly became a foundational tenet of Anderson's philosophy at Loewe. There is an emphasis both on the Spanish house's rich legacy of craftsmanship, and the Northern Irish designer's fascination with boldly warping those techniques into new and unexpected forms.
This week, the prize ceremony returned to Madrid—without Anderson, following the announcement in March that Proenza Schouler founders Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez would be taking the reins as creative directors of Loewe, but with as much energy and enthusiasm as ever. After all, part of Anderson's brilliance was that he built Loewe to be a 'cultural brand,' in his own words, creating an identity distinct enough that it can be transferred to a pair of new hands and reshaped into something fresh, without losing its essential DNA.
'The first time [we did the craft prize in Madrid], the world didn't know about the Loewe Foundation and didn't know what we wanted to support,' Sheila Loewe, president of the Loewe Foundation, said in an interview. 'Coming back, after all the places that we have been, it is like really a dream. Even when we're traveling around the world, we always have Spain in our hearts.'
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Fashion's worst-kept secret is out: Dior announces its new creative director
It began with a cryptic post on Instagram. In December 2024, Jonathan Anderson shared a photo of his shadow reflected onto a sandy beach at dusk, with the caption 'sunset'. Was it an allusion to new beginnings, per the idiom 'riding off into the sunset,' many in the fashion world began to wonder? Or was it nothing more than an innocuous holiday snap? What's now clear is that it wasn't the latter. On June 2, Anderson has been named as the new creative director at Dior, overseeing womenswear, menswear and haute couture. In an emailed statement, Anderson described the appointment as 'a great honor.' He said: 'I have always been inspired by the rich history of this House, its depth, and empathy. I look forward to working alongside its legendary Ateliers to craft the next chapter of this incredible story.' The Northern Irish fashion designer, 40, had been tipped for the top job at the LVMH-owned Dior since announcing his departure in March 2025 from the group's smaller label Loewe (where he was creative director for over a decade). A month later, LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault revealed during a shareholder meeting that Anderson would be designing Dior's men's collection, to be shown in June. Today's news follows the departure of Maria Grazia Chiuri, who stepped down as Dior's womenswear artistic director in late May after nine years, and Kim Jones, who exited his role as artistic director of Dior Men in January, after seven years. (Anderson's appointment at Dior brings the two roles together under his purview. The world's biggest luxury group with a market value of about $270 billion, LVMH owns 75 brands ranging from hotel chains to makeup, but Louis Vuitton — whose sales surpassed €22.8 billion in 2023 — and Dior are among the two largest contributors to profits. Though LVMH doesn't typically break down sales and profit figures for each of its labels, analysts have warned of the challenges facing Dior — a 'problem child' is how investment banking firm Morgan Stanley described it, noting that the business could benefit from more innovation — and the wider luxury sector, which is grappling with some of its slowest growth in years. Anderson's arrival at Dior could bring change. 'I have followed his career with great interest since he joined the LVMH group over ten years ago,' said Delphine Arnault, chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, in a statement. 'I am convinced that he will bring a creative and modern vision to our House, inspired by the fabulous story of Monsieur Dior and the codes he created. He will be supported by our teams and our incredible Ateliers who will bring his creativity to life.' 'Jonathan Anderson is one of the greatest creative talents of his generation. His incomparable artistic signature will be a crucial asset in writing the next chapter of the history of the House of Dior,' added LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault. Anderson is among a new generation of high-profile designers taking over some of the world's biggest luxury brands amid a sweeping industry overhaul. In May, French luxury group Kering named former Valentino designer Pierpaolo Piccioli as creative director at Balenciaga, succeeding Demna who is taking up the chief design job at the group's top label Gucci. Designer changes have also recently taken place at Chanel, Versace, Bottega Veneta and LVMH-owned Celine among others. Anderson is credited with boosting the profile of Loewe during his tenure at the Spanish label, where he won over celebrities and fashion insiders with his playful, quirky designs. Hits from Anderson include an over-the-shoulder Puzzle handbag (a small version sells for $3,850) and surreal styles like a clutch shaped as a pigeon or tomato, and shoes that substitute the heel with nail polish bottles, roses and cracked eggs. At Loewe, Anderson also built a cultural cache beyond fashion: He drew an eclectic mix of artists worldwide into the annual Loewe craft prize competition, and famously restyled James Bond actor Daniel Craig and the late British actress, Dame Maggie Smith in wholesome sweaters and luxurious coats, respectively, for a buzzy campaign. In 2024, the designer made further inroads into film, designing the costumes for Luca Guadagnino's films 'Queer' and 'Challengers.' On receiving an honorary Doctor of Arts from the University for the Creative Arts in the UK last July, Anderson offered some advice for the graduating class of 2024: 'Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. Steal, adapt, borrow. It doesn't matter where one takes things from. It's where one takes them to.' (Ironically, the speech paraphrased quotes by film directors Jim Jarmusch and Jean-Luc Godard once made, and was an adaptation of the famous Pablo Picasso quote 'good artists copy, great artists steal,' which was later lifted by Steve Jobs.) 'Discover old films, new films, history books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, whatever,' Anderson continued. 'Only steal from things that speak directly to you. If you do this, your work will be authentic.'
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