Dive Brief:
- Loewe has appointed Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez as creative directors, according to a Monday statement from the company posted on LinkedIn and Instagram.
- They succeed Jonathan Anderson, who left his position a week ago.
- McCollough and Hernandez were previously creative directors of Proenza Schouler, which they co-founded in 2002. The pair stepped down from the brand in January.
Dive Insight:
Luxury fashion has seen a significant uptick in recent creative director changes as it battles a sector slowdown. Already this year there have been shake-ups at Gucci, Versace, Jil Sander and Dior Men. As many brands still lack artistic leadership, more instability may be on the way.
In its statement, LVMH-owned Loewe lauded the impact McCollough and Hernandez have had on the fashion industry.
“Their work over the past two decades has played an important role in shaping modern fashion while cultivating an ongoing dialogue with contemporary culture,” Loewe said in the statement. “Their design practice, rooted in a rigorous exploration of craft filtered through an artistic sensibility, has evolved the industry’s landscape, and aligns with the values which underscore LOEWE’s 179-year heritage.”
The new creative team arrives at a high point for Loewe.
In 2024, the house co-sponsored the Met Gala. The brand also held the No. 1 position on the Lyst Index’s quarterly ranking for most-wanted brand, due in part to high-profile looks it created for the popular “Challengers” movie. In addition, now-former designer Anderson was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People for 2024. This year, there was a spike in online searches for the brand’s accessories after pieces appeared on Season 3 of HBO series “The White Lotus.”
“We are incredibly honoured to join LOEWE, a House whose values and mission align closely with our own,” McCollough and Hernandez said in the statement. “We look forward to working alongside its extraordinary teams and artisans, whose talent — under the exceptional creative direction of Jonathan Anderson — has shaped LOEWE into the cultural force it is today.”
Proenza Schouler, which is privately held, has not appointed a new creative director and did not present at the recent New York Fashion Week fall-winter shows. McCollough and Hernandez have been the brand’s only creative directors since its founding. Shira Suveyke Snyder was appointed CEO in October 2024.
In its fiscal 2024 earnings, LVMH posted a 2% year-over-year revenue decline, and its largest division, fashion and leather goods, posted a 3% revenue decrease. However, the company does not report financial information for its individual brands.
