I know I’m a few months late, but I’ve only just happened upon Loewe’s Chinese Monochrome collection. It wasn’t just the campaign’s bold color play or palpable joy that caught my eye; it was the sincerity of the inspiration that drew me in.
Few European luxury houses (if any at all, in recent memory) have been this deferential to the culture plastered across moodboards. Loewe was not only direct in naming the source behind its ode to the singular hue, but so clearly prioritized accuracy when understanding this ancient form of Chinese craftsmanship. At the heart of this collection is a film that features contemporary ceramic artists Deng Xiping and Natasha Daintro alongside Wang Guang Yao, a professor and research fellow at the Palace Museum.
The timing and financial objectives aren’t lost on me: Lunar New Year is just a few weeks away and the Chinese are among some of the most desirable consumers. Yet, in an age where cultural appropriation and cheap attempts to grab a piece of the market are industry norms, this level of thoughtfulness is one to benchmark. It’s good marketing, period. It might even be the closest thing to capitalism with a conscience: Loewe is sponsoring the creation of a new monochrome ceramics educational program at the only multidisciplinary undergraduate college in China that features ceramics studies, Jingdezhen Ceramic University.
And if you must know: I couldn’t help myself to one of the bags. (Voting with your wallet and all that.)
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The top image is set in South Korea and the model is also Korean.
I believe so, yes! Totally had the same thought: of course I wish they used Chinese models—thoughts on that another time (and definitely better articulated by someone else)—but the collection itself is inspired by Chinese ceramics.