Jonathan Anderson, the designer who achieved significant success and notoriety with the Spanish label Loewe during his 11-year tenure, has been appointed creative director of Christian Dior's menswear collection. Taking over from Kim Jones, Anderson's first show for the brand is scheduled for Paris in June.
This appointment, anticipated by fashion industry insiders, is expected to generate considerable buzz for Christian Dior. Anderson, now 40, is recognized for his distinctive and original designs, coupled with a proven ability to drive sales.
During his time at Loewe, sales increased from €230 million in 2014 to €1.1 billion in 2024, according to reports from Vogue Business. Notable successes included the £2,550 puzzle bag, which achieved "it" bag status, and a bag shaped like an heirloom tomato, an idea originating from a tweet featuring a picture of a tomato with the caption "This tomato is so Loewe I can’t explain it."
Anderson's ability to generate social media buzz, evident in both his Loewe and his own label, JW Anderson, continues. His 2022 pigeon bag, priced at £890, became a popular online item, with copies readily available on platforms like AliExpress for £16.81.
Loewe's advertising campaigns, often featuring unexpected stars such as 89-year-old Maggie Smith, pink-haired soccer star Megan Rapinoe, or Daniel Craig, also garnered significant viral attention. A collaboration with Guinness last year likely contributed to the beverage's resurgence with Generation Z.
Born and raised in Magherafelt, Northern Ireland, a town with a population under 10,000, Anderson's father, Willie Anderson, played rugby for Ireland and later coached the national team. His mother was a secondary school teacher.
Initially interested in acting and involved with the National Youth Music Theatre, Anderson moved to Washington, D.C., at age 18 to study at the Studio Theatre. After losing interest in acting, his father's request for repayment of tuition fees led him to a job at Dublin's high-end department store Brown Thomas.
While at Brown Thomas, he met Manuela Pavesi, an influential stylist and collaborator with Miuccia Prada. Pavesi provided Anderson with a merchandising position at Prada stores, assisting with window displays and in-store presentations, which helped him discover fashion. In a 2020 interview with System magazine, Anderson described Pavesi as the catalyst who ignited his passion for fashion.
Following studies in menswear at the London College of Fashion, Anderson launched his label JW Anderson, initially focusing on menswear in 2008 at the age of 24. The label quickly became a prominent fixture at London Fashion Week, expanding to include womenswear in 2010. Anderson's designs, often incorporating gender-bending elements, such as leather frilled shorts and strapless tops for men in 2013, were intended to challenge rather than shock.
Anderson's commercial acumen is evident in his collaborations and brand partnerships. He produced a successful collection for Topshop in 2012 and served as creative director for the contemporary basics brand Sunspel from 2011 to 2014.
His multifaceted career extends to producing high-priced items for Loewe and JW Anderson, as well as more accessible designs for Uniqlo, where he creates twice-yearly collections. He has also contributed to costume design for two of Luca Guadagnino's films and frequently styles celebrities for red carpet events.
Anderson became creative director of Loewe in 2013, with LVMH acquiring a stake in his label. At the time, Loewe, despite the prior tenures of designers like Stuart Vevers, was not a dominant force in popular culture. Anderson implemented a comprehensive rebranding strategy, encompassing everything from the brand's image to store design. He stated that the goal was to create a perception of the brand as having always been in this new direction.
The strategy proved successful. Upon his departure, various publications lauded Anderson's impact on Loewe. "Jonathan Anderson's Loewe era will go down in fashion history," declared Dazed, highlighting memorable moments from Rihanna's pregnancy reveal to collaborations with Studio Ghibli.
While Anderson's tenure at Dior lacks the extended lead-in period he had at Loewe, Dior hopes he will bring his creative vision to its menswear collection, and potentially its womenswear. Speculation exists that Maria Grazia Chiuri, the current creative director, may depart after her next show in September, given recent assessments by HSBC analysts describing the womenswear line as "a bit stale and repetitive." Anderson's ability to revitalize and rebrand a brand, combined with his extensive workload, may prove crucial to Dior's success.
