Jonathan Anderson — he of the chunky, hand-knit sweater that’s sending TikTokers running out to buy needles and yarn — has also applied many crafty touches to Loewe’s first retail outpost in Germany.
A monumental wicker basket, handwoven carpets, grass rugs, a tapestry and many unusual ceramics decorate the two-level unit at 18 Maximilianstraße in Munich, summoning the atmosphere of an art gallery, or the home of a quirky collector.
Among the smaller items on display are miniature portraits in oval frames from the 17th and 18th centuries, which served as decoration, and a reference, for the fall 2019 women’s wear show in Paris.
Anderson, Loewe’s creative director since 2018, is carving out a unique space in the often-slick luxury world with his dedication to natural and rustic materials and organic forms for his store environments.
The boutique is clad in an array of luxurious materials, including Campaspero limestone, maple wood and gleaming concrete in gray and pink shades. Four massive corrugated column in the classical Doric style punctuate the main-floor selling area, which also offers a prime view of a vertical garden.
Furnishings include Utrecht recliners by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld and a stone table by Axel Vervoordt, a key collaborator of Kanye West.
Many of the art works are by winners or finalists of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, which Anderson established to exalt basket-weavers, potters, textile artists and other masters of modernized craft. Winning items must “evince a clear artistic vision, precise execution, material honesty, a will to innovate and the distinct hand of their author.”
Loewe is one of the quieter, but fast-growing brands controlled by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. It counts 125 stores in the world.
The Munich location carries Loewe’s full range of women’s and men’s ready-to-wear, bags, small leather goods, soft accessories, eyewear, jewelry and shoes. The brand also operates a small shop at Frankfurt airport.