Designerhomme Labels Pick #01 - LOEWE Madrid 1846

Madrid is known for two things: the world's most expensive football players and leather ware by Loewe.

The story of LOEWE dates back to 1846, with the founding of a leather goods workshop in the heart of Madrid. In 1872, German artisan Enrique Loewe Roessberg came to the Spanish capital Madrid and set up in partnership with the workshop. Twenty years later in 1892, now known as E. Loewe and its huge advertising poster became an icon of its day and this budding leather goods business finally caught the public eye. In 1905, when Enrique Loewe Hilton headed up the LOEWE business, King Alfonso XII awarded it the title of Purveyor of the Royal Household. Five years later, in 1910, LOEWE opened its first shop in Barcelona trappings of its original style. In 1945, the boxcalf bags were created that would soon become the company’s greatest classic. The year 1963 saw the beginning of LOEWE’s international expansion when a shop opened in London. With the arrival of the 70s, LOEWE started to create its own women’s ready-to-wear and designed its first scarves. The same year, Vicente Vela created the legendary Loewe anagram, marking the beginning of its expansion into Asia. Since 1988, LOEWE has also had its own foundation. Every year, the Loewe Foundation awards an international poetry prize. In 1996, LOEWE celebrated its 150th anniversary, the same year it took over LVMH for an international expansion.

Stuart Vevers becomes creative director of LOEWE in 2008.

Stuart Vevers has the Midas touch when it comes to bags and accessories, and was poached from Mulberry to take over as the creative director of LOEWE, looking after not just leather goods but womenswear, too!

Stuart Vevers has been at Loewe just a year, moving from a gig as Mulberry's hit bag designer in London to a new life in Madrid to take on the luxury leather goods label. He's learning. "I was a bit notorious for overweight bags with giant hardware before," he laughed. "But here I've made everything soft and light. There's 160 years' worth of know-how, so I'm really concentrating on bringing out what we're good at." For pre-fall, Vevers pointed to a glossy brown leather coat with a plain man's belt tied around as "quintessential" Loewe, a lifetime classic. But finding a profile for the woman who might buy it is a work in progress. "The attitude is super-groomed but a bit tough. She has a definite shape, a waist, likes bold jewelry." She might also like to shrug on a mannish topcoat in a blurry herringbone or snap up a pair of super-fine suede gauntlets. The real test of Loewe's right to command the high ground, though, is the bags. Vevers said he'd studied a sand-colored suede carry-on piece, originally made in 1975, and applied the principle of soft structure to his ideas. That means puffy napa pouches, squashed ostrich hobos, and a lot of chain-handled lizard bags. The Vevers punch is in the proportion and details: This season the fastenings are bolt heads and the chains are as fine as can be.

LOEWE MADRID 1846 first caught my attention with their Anagram logo symbol of 4 interlocking "L" which reminds me of Egyptian Mythical Symbol of Scarab Beetle, Messenger of the God of Rising Sun. I am very interested in Ancient Mythical & Metaphysical Symbols.

LOEWE start to intrigue me more with their super soft, buttery Nappa Leather which surpassed Leathers of many Labels. LOEWE is from Spain which is famous for their lambskin, LOEWE Nappa leather has such tender touch you can't resist after getting one of them & they have wide array of colours available. If HERMES Leather is #1 & Best in the World, LOEWE definitely is #2 for such Luxurious Feel. Compared it with BV, LOEWE Leather is a clear winner. LOEWE also like to use Suede in their leather goods however personally i am never a fan of Suede as they are hard to maintain.

I just have a small collections of LOEWE leather goods. I love their Full Nappa Leather Bags like AMAZONA but prices are steep, other bags are made of Suede or Canvas i am not really interested. This season they got Exotics, Very beautiful LOEWE CALLE BAG.

Image: Loewe