Jonathan Anderson Exits Loewe. Is He Going to Dior?

The fashion world can feel like a never-ending game of musical chairs. In an industry that thrives off of newness, it’s rare for a creative director to keep a decade-long tenure feeling fresh, exciting and boundary-pushing. But that’s exactly what Jonathan Anderson did at Loewe. In 2025, with 11 years at the brand under his belt, the famed designer is arguably at the top of his game. This is why the recent news of his departure has captivated the style sphere.

The rumours began to really take off after he presented Loewe’s Spring 2025 collection. Critics received the show as a sentimental “full circle” statement on the House’s journey since Anderson joined. With nods to the brand’s codes and hints of Anderson’s early career staples, some interpreted it as a farewell show. Then, in January, when it was announced that Proenza Schouler founders Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez would be stepping down from their namesake brand, many began to predict that they might be heading to take Anderson’s spot at Loewe. And on March 17, Anderson confirmed that he would be leaving the storied Spanish brand.

“Since my first day at Loewe I found kindred spirits in the design studio and the atelier, whose talents were, and still are, second to none,” he wrote in a statement on Instagram. “They say all good things must to come to an end, but I disagree. While my own chapter draws to a close, Loewe’s story will continue for many years to come and I will look on with pride.”

Naturally, this led many to wonder: Is Jonathan Anderson going to Dior? Here’s what to know.

First of all, who is Jonathan Anderson?

If a creative director’s success can be measured by their pop culture clout, Jonathan Anderson is at the forefront of industry achievements. Along with his widely revered runway legacy, he’s made a name for himself in the world of film, art exhibitions and social media savviness, crafting an identity of whimsical world-building.

Originally from Northern Ireland, Anderson founded his London-based label JW Anderson in 2010. Five years later, with a well-respected vision and a reputation in London’s club scene, he started as creative director at Loewe. (More on that later.) Over the past year, with his popularity at the Spanish house reaching an all-time high, he has ventured onto the big screen. Working with director Luca Guadagnino, Anderson has designed the costumes for the viral romantic drama Challengers (we have him to thank for that “I Told Ya” shirt) and the dreamy love story Queer starring Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey.

Both films’ costumes have been received as an integral part of the on-screen storytelling, communicating the characters’ nuances in a way words can’t always do. “Jonathan comes with a ferocious intelligence,” said Guadagnino of the designer. “[He’s] someone who knows the way in which we communicate through clothes.”

What is Jonathan Anderson’s legacy at Loewe?

Founded in Madrid in 1846, Loewe is LVMH’s oldest fashion House. It first rose to prominence for its luxury leather goods, a major legacy that Anderson has embraced. In his first collection for Spring 2015 (below), he presented deconstructed looks, asymmetrical silhouettes and reinterpreted takes on supple leather ensembles. Since then, he has continued to establish a new era of creative, conceptual clothing that blends dualities. Today, Loewe merges reality with surrealism; masculinity with femininity. The clothes might not always seem wearable, but they are the perfect base for the brand’s biggest seller: bags.

While championing the label’s OG purse designs, Anderson also introduced a new player: the viral Puzzle bag. This foldable, tridimensional purse with geometric stitching and an origami-like structure became an immediate classic, adding to the Jonathan Anderson appeal.

Through his approach, Jonathan Anderson catapulted Loewe’s cool-factor. As fashion video essayist Understitch explains, it’s thanks to him that people learned how to pronounce the brand’s name. (Low-ev-ay.) “This is something that had plagued the brand for literally a hundred years — if not more — and was finally becoming solved because of how well received Anderson’s Loewe had become,” he says.

From his conceptual balloon heels to his pixelated hoodie designs, Anderson used Loewe’s age-old approach to craftsmanship to usher the label into an era of off-kilter, futuristic playfulness. Its image is now so distinct that a deformed tomato replete with ripples can be deemed a "Loewe tomato", and fashion enthusiasts will all understand the reference.

What could Jonathan Anderson bring to Dior?

Widely considered LVMH’s crown jewel, Dior is a brand rich with heritage and prestige. It’s often the first show on the Paris Fashion Week calendar. Its archives are highly coveted. And whoever heads the House garners widespread attention — and a gargantuan budget. As of now, Dior’s menswear creative director Kim Jones and womenswear creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri are still in their roles, but the rumours posit that Anderson would take over both positions.

As creative director, Anderson would be succeeding a long line of names, who all carved out their own niche in the role. John Galliano offered a flamboyant fantasy. Raf Simons had a penchant for futurism and sleek silhouettes. Chiuri has been known to craft a romantic aesthetic propelled by feminist dialogue (above). What would Jonathan Anderson bring? Surely more of his singularity.

At Loewe, he revitalized the image of a historic brand through a playful approach to classic artisanship, creating collections that spoke to the surrealism of the digital age while staying true to the brand’s high quality textile. Time and time again, Anderson has proven that his imaginative approach to designing — incorporating everything from film to cartoon-inspired codes — can take even the most historic House in an entirely fresh direction. Sure, balloon shoes don’t exactly scream Dior. But if Jonathan Anderson has proven anything, it’s that he can thrive in any space, as long as fashion is at the forefront.