Loewe’s gambit: Proenza Schouler duo takes over

What happened One week after announcing Jonathan Anderson’s exit, Loewe has swiftly filled its top creative role. Today, luxury conglomerate LVMH confirmed that Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez — the design duo behind New York-based label Proenza Schouler — will take the reins as creative directors of Loewe, effective April 7. The pair will oversee all creative aspects of the brand, including womenswear, menswear, leather goods, and accessories. McCollough and Hernandez first met while studying at Parsons School of Design and together founded Proenza Schouler in 2002. Their experimental tailoring and forward-thinking aesthetics quickly captured the fashion industry’s attention. In 2004, they won the inaugural CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and went on to clinch the CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year award in 2007, 2011, and 2013 — a track record that cemented their place in American fashion. “We are honored to join Loewe,” the pair said in a statement. “The brand’s values and mission deeply resonate with us. We are sincerely grateful to Bernard Arnault, Delphine Arnault, Sidney Toledano, and Pascale Lepoivre for entrusting us with the opportunity to shape a new chapter for this exceptional house.” The Jing Take Proenza Schouler is known for its urban sophistication and minimalist sensibility, often defined by a stark interplay between structure and material. Since introducing accessories and footwear in 2008, and later expanding into fragrance in 2018, the duo has methodically grown the brand’s commercial reach. The pair's iconic product — the PS1 satchel — became a millennial-era staple thanks to its understated, utilitarian appeal. Once dubbed “a bag you could carry for a lifetime,” it helped define Proenza Schouler’s place in the accessory ecosystem. The pair stepped down from the brand they founded on January 31. Architectural minds to reshape Loewe’s artistic soul Long celebrated for its artisanal leather craftsmanship and conceptual artistry, Loewe stands in contrast to Proenza Schouler’s sleek, cerebral minimalism. Where Loewe has championed playfulness and whimsy, Proenza Schouler favors restraint and architectural clarity. This creative dissonance has ignited a flurry of online debate — some commentators see the pairing as a fresh design perspective, while others worry it could signal a radical departure from Loewe’s established identity. Yet, in fashion, tension often breeds reinvention. This collision of aesthetics may prove to be more of a reinvigoration than a rupture. Though McCollough and Hernandez’s credentials are indisputable, their ability to sustain, and evolve, Loewe’s brand value is a narrative still waiting to unfold. The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

Loewe’s gambit: Proenza Schouler duo takes over

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Published March 24, 2025

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Loewe’s gambit: Proenza Schouler duo takes over