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“As creative people, we’re fed by newness. Just being in a new city, working with a new team and all these incredible creative talents, exposed us to so many new ideas and sped off this new energy. It’s a story that we hope to tell for a while, and this is just its beginning,” said Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough backstage, minutes after they presented their first-ever collection for Loewe to an audience that included Pedro Almodóvar, Sarah Paulson, Parker Posey and many other fashionable New Yorkers that have followed the pair since their beginnings with Proenza Schouler.
Walking around the big white box that had been set up in the middle of Paris’s Cité Universitaire, it was hard to miss the enthusiasm. We overheard eight different people exclaim, “I am so excited about this!” before we had even taken our seats. The collection didn’t disappoint the well wishers, many of whom whooped at the end, and it won’t disappoint the quirky Loewe customer either — the paper plane shoes, the shrunken leather coats, the razor-cut denim and the strapless towel dresses felt like good conversation starters between the brand’s future and its past.
Fashion moves fast; it feels like years ago now that the duo announced their departure from Proenza Schouler, which they founded in 2002 and spent over 20 years turning into one of New York’s most prized labels — a favourite of It-girls and chic women across the metropolis. But that was only last January.
In the months since, Jonathan Anderson left Loewe, Hernandez and McCollough were announced as his successors, Anderson took over Dior, and Rachel Scott of Diotima was announced at Proenza Schouler. Scott presented her first Proenza Schouler collection at the beginning of September, while Anderson showed his menswear take for Dior in June and womenswear this past Wednesday — arguably, that appointment comes with an extraordinary amount of pressure.
But if Anderson has the biggest job in fashion, Hernandez and McCollough have the biggest shoes to fill. The Northern Irish designer spent 11 years at Loewe in the creative director role, transforming it from a heritage house to one of luxury’s hottest brands. Loewe sales went from approximately €230 million in 2014, according to Morgan Stanley estimates, to between €1.5 billion and €2 billion in 2024, per estimates of Bernstein analyst Luca Solca.
If their CV is anything to go by, they are up for the challenge: McCollough and Hernandez’s Proenza Schouler was known for dressing every cool girl in New York, including Chloë Sevigny and Moda Operandi founder Lauren Santo Domingo, and over the years attracted a number of investors — from Valentino to Andrew Rosen and, most recently, Mudrick Capital Management.
Their strong knowledge of footwear and accessories places them well at Loewe — especially when equipped with the brand’s highly skilled artisans and underpinned by LVMH. It’s worth noting, however, that entering a corporate behemoth like LVMH from a small independent label comes with its own set of challenges. To wit, Loewe counts over 1,300 employees worldwide and Proenza Schouler, 164. (The LVMH workforce is 215,000.)
The execs, for one, stand behind them: “They are serious and enthusiastic at the same time, exuberant and yet very focused,” said Loewe CEO Pascale Lepoivre of the creative pair. Sidney Toledano, advisor to LVMH chair and CEO Bernard Arnault, agreed: “Their greatest strength is energy and joy — they are extremely positive and full of vitality. I told them, ‘You found the critical path; you have the right road. It’s the beginning.’ The teams are behind them, too.”
Here’s what other attendees had to say about Hernandez and McCollough’s Loewe debut.
Linda Fargo, SVP, Fashion Office Store Presentation at Bergdorf Goodman
Jack and Lazaro showed that they have a natural affinity with the codes of Loewe. They were respectful yet completely themselves. Their consistently innovative silhouettes and reimagined modes of dressing, as well as their artistic use of textures and materials, is a perfect match. This debut was a fast start, kicked off with a wake-up blast of sound, and moved with a fast-paced intensity of purpose and confidence. It’s no surprise that the applause began before the models even finished the finale.
Nick Brown, co-founder and managing partner of Imaginary
I thought it was incredible. I mean, I’ve known those guys for 25 years, and I think that all of their dreams are coming true. I think it was commercial and wearable and beautiful — A+. It’s exciting when talented people get great jobs.
Chloe Malle, head of editorial content for Vogue
It was a bold, bright, electric debut for Jack and Laz at Loewe. There were strong strains of the silhouettes we’ve always loved from them at Proenza: asymmetrical hemlines, rounded shoulders, but a sharp injection of Loewe with saturated, splashy Spanish flair. It felt like a collection to wear for all weather, with brimmed rain hats, slick windbreakers and PVC-heeled pointy-toe clompers. The slouchy, boxy bag that was a hero accessory on the runway feels like a runaway hit to me.
Mark Guiducci, global editorial director of Vanity Fair
I can’t remember being in a room with so much good will and excitement for a designer’s debut. There was a strong contingent of American friends of the house who were all but (and in some cases, actually) in tears at the end of the show. Bravo, Jack and Laz.
Roopal Patel, SVP, Fashion Director, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus
It’s a new vibe and energy at Loewe, with Jack and Lazaro bringing that NYC edge. We loved the sculpted leather jackets and dresses, the minimalist sleek cuts and the layered scarf dress. The chic line-up of accessories felt on point, with the bucket bag and the multi-layer flamenco clutch. The collection was luxe and rooted in the core of Loewe’s DNA.
Mel Ottenberg, stylist and editor-in-chief of Interview
Jack and Lazaro have always been successful, but it’s really exciting to see them on a stage like Loewe and do something really sharp that the fashion industry needs — which is real energy. We really need some pragmatism and desire in fashion right now. American fashion historically, when it works, is pragmatic and sharp and focused and modern and energetic. And that’s what we got today.
Petra Collins, photographer and director
I loved the towel dresses. They’re the sweetest, hottest designers. I’m not good with words, that’s why I take photos. I am so happy for them.
Bosse Myhr, buying director of menswear, womenswear and childrenswear at Selfridges
Under the new creative direction of Jack and Lazaro, this new Loewe collection feels like an elegant evolution of the house’s DNA — every piece echoes the classic codes yet moves them forward. The beautiful colour combinations are striking. You can see hints of the craftsmanship in the tasseled skirts, which bring texture and movement. Layering is a key element throughout: multiples are stacked, juxtaposed and interwoven to create depth. The rigid shapes in the coats and the dresses, combined with bold, strong colours, lend a confident structure to the collection.
David Martin, creative director and editor-in-chief of Odda Magazine
This Loewe collection presented today by Lazaro and Jack made me feel that fashion will survive. I’m full of joy this season; I think we are in good hands. Jonathan at Dior, Bellotti at Jil Sander, and Jack and Lazaro at Loewe are giving a new era the chance to breathe.
Steff Yotka, global editorial director of i-D
A really surefooted debut from Jack and Laz. I loved the sense of colour and liveliness — I think fashion has been missing some oomph lately, with all those beige collections in New York and Milan. This was so joyful and still arty — the right balance for Loewe.
Tish Weinstock, writer and model
The texture and the effects of the fabric, I thought, were amazing. I’d love to know more about the craft behind it. And what was really exciting was the energy in the room.
With additional reporting by Laure Guilbault.
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com.
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