Loewe to Launch Final Studio Ghibli Collection

Loewe to Launch Final Studio Ghibli Collection

Loewe announced a final collaboration with Japanese animator Studio Ghibli set to launch on Feb. 2. Inspired by the film Howl’s Moving Castle, it will follow two previous capsules featuring My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away. The partnership, started in 2021, aimed to use themes of hope and adventure to lift the world up during quarantine. Exclusive details on the goods are not available yet though it will likely follow the previous launches.

My Neighbor Totoro Capsule Collection

Using the tagline ‘Only young hearts can see Totoro’, the brand released the first collaboration with Studio Ghibli on Jan. 8 2021. The collection consisted of ready-to-wear that ranged from hoodies to biker jackets and small leather goods.

Clothes made in cotton were stamped with prints of different characters or pictured the lush landscapes Ghibli is famous for. Classic Loewe goods such as the Puzzle Bag or Basket Bag also became updated with design changes. Where the collection shines though is within the leather goods and accessories. Whether it be through the Totoro Flower Charms or the Dust Bunnies Woven Slippers, Loewe subtly references details of the film and creates goods that aren’t tacky or appear like merchandise.

Spirited Away Capsule Collection

The second collaboration inspired by the 2001 film Spirited Away was released on Jan. 11, 2022. While the concepts of the goods were fairly similar to the first collection from graphic hoodies to bags decorated with characters, there was a twist in marketing.

Loewe also opened a pop-up shop in the Harujuku district of Tokyo for ten days. Decorated to resemble the spirit world itself, the store featured models wearing items from the collection and offered visitors Yokikana-cha tea to make the experience lifelike.

LOEWE and Miyazaki

Fashion and anime have a recent yet busy history, Some designers such as Sandy Liang use the fantastical elements of anime to inform their aesthetic. Moreover, the same is true in reverse. Naoko Takeuchi, creator of Sailor Moon, stated she has recieved inspiration for characters’ costuming from Dior and Thierry Mugler.

But, the connection between the Loewe and Studio Ghibli is more interconnected. The fashion brand often references themes of nature or natural elements when designing a garment or creating it. This use of the environment is similar to the environmentalism championed by Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli. They also share whimsical visuals and a commitment to craft or tradition, making them mimicking collaborators.

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