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Anna Wintour’s Power Move: Is She Behind Loewe’s Next Creative Director?
Ivy Vu
- Fashion Blogger -
The fashion industry is preparing for another major shake-up.
According to the latest report from Puck News, Proenza Schouler’s co-founders and designers, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, may have signed with LVMH to succeed Jonathan Anderson as the new creative directors of Loewe.
The fashion industry is preparing for another major shake-up.
According to the latest report from Puck News, Proenza Schouler’s co-founders and designers, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, may have signed with LVMH to succeed Jonathan Anderson as the new creative directors of Loewe.
Previously, rumors suggested that Anderson would leave Loewe to become Dior’s next creative director following the brand’s Roman pre-fall show. Anderson, who has been at the helm of Loewe since 2013, revitalized the brand with his avant-garde approach, craftsmanship, and artistic vision. His success has reportedly earned him the coveted role at Dior.
As of now, neither Loewe nor LVMH has officially commented on these reports.
Industry analysts speculate that while Maria Grazia Chiuri’s last show for Dior is expected to be in May, Dior may not be willing to wait much longer for a transition.
Dior’s Urgency for Change
A recent report from HSBC on LVMH highlighted that Dior’s womenswear business is under pressure. While the brand’s revenue grew from €2.7 billion in 2018 to €9 billion in 2023, indicating strong performance, Chiuri’s designs have been criticized as “stale and repetitive.” The report suggests that appointing Jonathan Anderson as Dior’s creative director could bring fresh energy to the brand. With Anderson’s likely departure, the question of who will succeed him at Loewe has become a hot topic.
At the start of the year, industry rumors pointed to Jil Sander’s designer duo, Luke and Lucie Meier, as potential candidates. Luke Meier, formerly Supreme’s head designer, and Lucie Meier, with experience at Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga, have crafted a refined minimalist aesthetic at Jil Sander. However, some critics argue that Jil Sander’s recent conservatism might signal a lack of momentum if the duo were to lead Loewe. Just two weeks later, attention shifted to Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler.
Proenza Schouler: From New York’s Darlings to Loewe’s Next Leaders?
McCollough and Hernandez founded Proenza Schouler in 2002 while studying at Parsons School of Design. Their graduate collection was immediately purchased by Barneys New York, and in 2004, they won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award. Their designs, known for bold silhouettes, intricate craftsmanship, and experimental materials, quickly gained recognition.
This trajectory—prestigious fashion school, early industry backing, and major awards—is a blueprint for success in the industry.
In 2007, Proenza Schouler launched the iconic PS1 bag, solidifying their influence in the handbag market and proving their commercial viability. Unlike the European fashion scene, where avant-garde concepts often take precedence, the American fashion industry places a strong emphasis on business acumen.
For a long time, Proenza Schouler stood out as one of the most design-forward American contemporary brands. Unlike many conceptual European labels, it maintained a balance between artistry and wearability, appealing to real women’s wardrobes.
However, over the past decade, American fashion has struggled. The industry has failed to produce a new wave of designers on par with Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang, or Michael Kors. Social media and e-commerce have shifted attention toward more statement-making European brands, leaving many American designers struggling to compete in the visibility race.
Despite their talent, brands like Proenza Schouler, Alexander Wang, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Jason Wu have had to rely heavily on investors to survive.
Financial Struggles and Reinvention
In 2018, Proenza Schouler faced a financial crisis due to rising costs and was forced to seek new investors. Over the years, the brand had been backed by various investors, including Valentino Fashion Group, Theory CEO Andrew Rosen, and private equity firm Castanea Partners.
LVMH had previously considered acquiring a 40% stake in Proenza Schouler in 2014 but ultimately decided against it.
By late 2018, the brand secured funding from Mudrick Capital Management, a New York firm specializing in distressed assets. This was Mudrick’s first investment in fashion, and under its guidance, Proenza Schouler was able to buy back its brand from previous investors and regain control.
Today, Proenza Schouler is expected to reach $70 million in sales, making it one of the few American brands to survive the industry’s shifts. However, despite their resilience, McCollough and Hernandez have largely remained outside the elite circle of designers considered for major luxury houses—until now.
Some critics argue that in recent years, Proenza Schouler has lost its originality, pivoting toward a more minimalist aesthetic reminiscent of Celine and The Row. While this shift has kept the brand commercially viable, it has also diluted its once-distinct identity. This is why some question whether McCollough and Hernandez are the right fit for Loewe, a brand known for its eccentric creativity and artistic edge under Anderson’s leadership.
Anna Wintour’s Role: A Power Play Behind the Scenes?
One factor that could influence the decision is Anna Wintour’s long-standing support for Proenza Schouler. For over 20 years, Wintour has been a champion of the brand, regularly attending its runway shows and wearing its designs to major events.
A now-famous anecdote highlights her early connection to the designers: In 2000, when Lazaro Hernandez was still a student, he found himself on a plane sitting near Wintour in first class. Seizing the opportunity, he scribbled a note on an airsickness bag, expressing his dream of interning for free to learn about the industry. He discreetly placed the note under Wintour’s glass while she was asleep. Weeks later, Hernandez received a call from Michael Kors’ assistant—he had landed an internship.
Years later, when Wintour learned that Barneys had purchased McCollough and Hernandez’s Parsons graduate collection, she invited them to her office, cementing their place in the fashion world.
Through Vogue’s partnership with the CFDA, Proenza Schouler participated in numerous mentorship programs, including a 2013 fashion exchange project in Beijing. In 2023, at the Vogue Forces of Fashion event, Wintour and the designers returned to China together, reinforcing her ongoing support for them. Sources suggest that Wintour has been actively lobbying for her favored designers to secure top roles in major luxury houses.
The First Attempt: John Galliano’s Comeback
McCollough and Hernandez might not be Wintour’s first choice for a major creative director appointment. According to insiders, Wintour previously pushed for John Galliano’s return to Dior. She played a key role in the 2023 documentary High & Low: John Galliano, which marked the designer’s first major media appearance in a decade. The documentary featured interviews with industry heavyweights, including Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, The New York Times’ Vanessa Friedman, as well as LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault and Sidney Toledano.
Despite her efforts, LVMH ultimately decided against rehiring Galliano, leaving Wintour to redirect her influence toward Proenza Schouler’s placement at Loewe.
What’s at Stake?
If McCollough and Hernandez do take over Loewe, it will serve as a test of Wintour’s continued power in shaping the fashion industry. It would demonstrate that Vogue’s designer mentorship programs still hold weight in determining the future of luxury brands.
At the same time, securing creative director positions for her protégés would solidify Wintour’s legacy and extend her influence beyond her eventual departure.
With the departure of Edward Enninful from British Vogue and the increasing centralization of power within Condé Nast, Wintour’s role remains dominant.
One thing is clear: Anna Wintour is far from ready to relinquish her grip on fashion’s inner circle. And if her latest moves succeed, Proenza Schouler’s rise to Loewe could be the most strategic play in her long career.
