The “Vicente Vela at LOEWE” sample, which will be on exhibit in LOEWE’s Serrano Street store through the middle of April, showcases the extensive legacy the designer left the brand.
“This is no ordinary event,” warned Enrique Loewe, “it is laden with emotion, nostalgia and acclaim for someone who was immensely important not only to LOEWE but to me personally as well”. Such was the atmosphere in the store when Enrique Loewe – honorary president of the LOEWE FOUNDATION- was introduced by his daughter Sheila, the FOUNDATION’S current director, and Vicente Vela’s name echoed through the room once again.
Sociologist, journalist and fashion critic Pedro Mansilla, Enrique Loewe’s interlocutor in this LOEWE Talk, generously highlighted his intention to serve as the connecting thread for the person who established the LOEWE FOUNDATION 28 years ago and who shared so many life experiences and years with Vela himself. With his questions, Mansilla gave Enrique Loewe the perfect opportunity to share anecdotes and memories with the public.
Vela, brought to LOEWE by architect Javier Carvajal, was able to split his life into two halves, leaving his painter’s palette behind to devote himself to LOEWE with the passion and generosity that were the stamps of his strong character. “One could not preclude Vicente Vela from giving his opinion,” Enrique Loewe said with humour, while he recalled the many trips they took together throughout Spain, thanks to which Vela was able to instil into the Spanish brand “not just an aesthetic consciousness, but a historic one as well”. Vela established an unbreakable bond between the artisans and the designer. According to Loewe, they went to the workshop “to explain, show and clarify” the ideas of the creative team. That spirit permeated all corners of the firm, building the incredibly strong character of the fashion house. King among all his contributions is LOEWE’s anagram, which is internationally recognised as one of the most outstanding corporate symbols in the world.
It was with Vicente Vela, Enrique Loewe explained, that the idea that “objects had to have soul and maintain a dialogue with consumers” was born. And he added, “today’s luxury has to do with a profound longing for time to stop in order to ask questions, and for the need to surround ourselves with objects that have meaning”.
Beyond the legacy he left for LOEWE, the public was able to appreciate the influence Vicente Vela had in those closest to him: “Vicente taught us to not settle, to have curiosity, to fall in love with Spanish culture. He was a leader in helping us create within us other characters, other attitudes, other ways of looking at things.”
Photo Captions: Craft and Luxury, LOEWE Talk between Enrique Loewe and Pedro Mansilla © Luis Sánchez de Pedro for the LOEWE FOUNDATION. Nacimiento orgánico, oil on canvas by Vicente Vela, 1973.
