Jonathan Anderson leaves Loewe, set for Dior

LVMH announced Monday that Jonathan Anderson, the British designer who has led Loewe for over a decade, is stepping down from his position as creative director. Anderson, 40, is widely speculated to take over at Dior, as part of a broader reshuffling within the luxury fashion industry.

The move follows a series of high-profile resignations and departures at major global fashion houses. The industry has been grappling with challenges such as a slowdown in the Chinese market and concerns surrounding the ongoing trade war.

“Under his direction, Loewe experienced exceptional growth and established itself as a pioneer in presenting a modern vision of luxury fashion and culture,” LVMH said in a statement.

Since taking the reins in 2013, Anderson transformed Loewe from a more understated luxury brand into one of the most avant-garde and influential names in fashion. His tenure saw the launch of the iconic Puzzle bag in 2015, which became an instant bestseller.

Anderson's tenure also elevated Loewe’s runway shows to star-studded events attended by A-list actors, including Timothée Chalamet, Pedro Almodóvar, and Tilda Swinton, many of whom became brand ambassadors.

Born in Northern Ireland, Anderson has long been linked to the LVMH-owned Dior. The brand’s menswear creative director, Kim Jones, departed in January, and womenswear designer Maria Grazia Chiuri is rumored to be next.

A potential scenario could see Anderson taking on both menswear and womenswear at Dior, a move of great importance to LVMH’s financial and dynastic future under owner Bernard Arnault.

In February 2023, Arnault appointed his daughter Delphine to oversee Dior.

Before his rise in fashion, Anderson trained at the London College of Fashion and began his career in Prada’s marketing department before founding his own label, JW Anderson, in 2008. Initially, Anderson had dreams of becoming an actor and moved to the U.S. at 18 to attend drama school.

In another reshuffling announcement, French luxury group Kering revealed that Demna, creative director at Balenciaga, would shift to the chief designer position at Gucci, following the departure of Sabato de Sarno in February. Other fashion houses, including Chanel, Bottega Veneta, Carven, Celine, Fendi, and Martin Margiela, are also in the process of hiring new designers.