A History of the Best Loewe Bags
Before one dives into the history of Loewe handbags, one must first understand how the Spanish heritage brand wound up with a very German name. (We know you know, but in case you don’t, the e’s are both hard and the w is pronounced like a v.) A member of LVMH’s impressive roster of luxury brands, Loewe is, in fact, the oldest of them all. Founded in 1846, the label began as a collective of artisans crafting leather and suede goods in a workshop on Madrid’s Lobo Street.
The Loewe Handbags to Shop Now
- The Puzzle - debuted at Men’s Spring/Summer 2015
- The Amazona - debuted in 1975, relaunched in 2021
- The Flamenco - debuted in the 1970s, relaunched in 2010
- The Basket - debuted at Spring/Summer 2017
- The Squeeze - debuted at Fall/Winter 2023
- The Puzzle Fold - debuted at 2023 Pre-Fall
- The Pebble Bucket - debuted at men’s Spring/Summer 2024
- The Hammock - debut at Women’s Spring/Summer 2016
Spain has a long history of leather-making, dating past even the work of the Moors in southern Spain in the 8th century when Cordovan horse leather was highly sought and prized. But it was only after an immigrant applied a bit of Germanic business pragmatism to the Spanish artisan collective that the group became a brand. The year was 1872 when Enrique Loewe Roessberg gave his name (which translates to “lion”) to the label. By 1905, Loewe had earned the privilege of being an “official supplier to the Spanish Royal Crown.”
The brand maintained its status as a luxury leather maker, and by the middle of the century, Loewe bags could be seen on the likes of Ava Gardner during a visit to Spain with her then-husband Frank Sinatra. In 1965, Loewe introduced its first ready-to-wear collection, and five years later, the brand enlisted Spanish artist Vicente Vela to develop a logo—the famed anagram of four scrolling L’s still in use today. Along the way, Karl Lagerfeld spent time at the label, as did Giorgio Armani and Laura Biagiotti.
But Loewe It bags—fixtures on the arms of It girls and boys the world over—have had much do with LVMH, which acquired Loewe in 1996. Narciso Rodriguez, José Enrique Oña Selfa, Stuart Vevers, Jonathan Anderson, all took turns as the brand’s creative directors. Today, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez helm the brand; their spring 2026 debut coincided with Loewe’s 180th anniversary this year. For the occasion, they revisited one of the brand’s most iconic bags—the Amazona—and introduced a new double-L branding across the category.
The look of all these accessories upholds the historic brand’s dedication to craft above all else. Sure, they can come shaped like an elephant, but the quality of the leather is unmatched. Determinedly untrendy, Loewe handbags are meant to be carried indefinitely, and below, we’ve rounded up some of the most memorable.
The Puzzle
Just about a year into his appointment, Anderson added a significant handbag to the Loewe repertoire, one that gave the skills of the label’s craftspeople an especially fine showcase. Enter the Puzzle bag, which was first seen at the men’s spring 2015 show in Paris; at Anderson’s Loewe, handbags are for everyone. Like all Loewe bags, the Puzzle is handcrafted in Madrid, with approximately nine pieces of leather precisely patchworked together. (The process takes an estimated nine hours.) Available in calfskin, pebbled calfskin, and goatskin in regular, small, mini, and nano sizes, the bag didn’t take long before turning up on all the chicest influencers and culture-makers; head to a fashion show, gallery opening, or in-the-know cocktail party, and you’re bound to spot a piece of the Puzzle.
Amazona
With two top handles and an elegantly rectangular frame reminiscent of a doctor’s bag, the Amazona was envisioned as an accessory to accompany the burgeoning female workforce to the office in the 1970s. (Its simple construction is designed both to exhibit the materials and craftsmanship of the bag and to reiterate that the Loewe woman meant business.) The bag debuted in 1975 but was reintroduced to the repertory by Anderson at the fall 2021 show—pegged to the 175th anniversary of Loewe. In the corner of the bag, you’ll find an embossed Loewe logo, plus a fully functioning mini-padlock and key. The bag, which has been an icon of the house of Loewe for decades, comes in a variety of shapes and colorways—and all-leather or an Anagram canvas body. Sizes—16, 15, 19, 23, in either square or rectangular shapes—correspond to the bag’s width in centimeters. The Amazona 180 was introduced for spring 2026: It marks both Loewe’s 180th anniversary and Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez’s debut show. The boxy shape retains much of its original structure, but is given a more nonchalant feel with a single top handle and two long leather zip pullers. The bag is designed to be left open, with the updated logo peeking out just so. A concealed main interior compartment—lined with suede, of course—allows you to safely hold all your essentials. The Amazona 180 comes in an array of colors (from classic black to the season’s trending cobalt blue) with multiple carry options (short top-handle, on your shoulder, or as a crossbody with the removable strap), and in a trio of sizes (mini, small, and large).
The Flamenco
Though the Flamenco pouch appears utterly modern, it was actually launched in the 1970s. Fast forward to 2010, the bag was reprised by Vevers, who decorated the drawstring pulls with tassels; Anderson’s take features knots and an embossed Anagram logo. McCollough and Hernandez introduced for spring 2026 colorful and gleaming metal coils onto the pull knots. Otherwise, the bag itself remains unadorned and thus serves as a blank canvas to showcase color wonderfully on the nappa calfskin body. At the moment, vibrant brights—from a bold red to striking azure—are on offer, and should you want a little more “Loewe” on your bag, you can opt for one with the detachable donut chain. Sizes include mini, regular, and large. And because Loewe has thought of everything, there’s a magnetic close in addition to the drawstrings.
The Basket
This utterly irresistible addition to the Loewe oeuvre debuted at the spring 2017 womenswear show, and the world hasn’t been the same since. Anderson gave us an elevated take on the humble woven palm-leaf market bag, and had the tact to price it accordingly. That’s not to say that the bag doesn’t follow Anderson’s craft-is-cool M.O.; it’s handwoven in Spain and uses the label’s fine leather as trim. Yet the real beauty of this bag lies in its embrace of good design—if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it There’s no need to reinvent the wheel here; Loewe’s basket bag does everything it should, and best of all, it comes in a variety of colors and sizes, so there is absolutely no reason not to wear it all year round. Because of the bag’s unbridled popularity, it’s a fashion fact that you’re never too far away from your next encounter with a Loewe Basket bag—and unlike other It items, this only makes the bag that much more great.
The Squeeze
Of all the Loewe bags, consider this one our main squeeze. Introduced at Loewe’s fall 2023 runway show, the squeeze bag has a chain strap complement with a plush a handle that you can, yes, squeeze. It’s crafted in supple lambskin in Loewe’s sinisterly moody-meets-powdery hues—pistachios, oxblood, etc. For fall 2024, however, Anderson festooned the bag with stunning tapestry weave-esque beadwork featuring jungly flora and fauna and one particularly adorable bag depicting a Brussels griffon pup.
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The Puzzle Fold
In the summer of 2023, your feeds may have been filled with content shot by a lucky few who received Loewe’s then-latest bag. But these were not your average unboxing videos; after a Loewe muse had wrapped the bag, clips demonstrated how it pops open and then collapses into a neat square, which only added to the intrigue. It was a work of art—an origami work of art, to be exact.
The clever artisans over at Loewe, under the direction of Anderson, have engineered a tote that fully folds flat. Coming in three sizes—mini, XL, and medium, the calfskin leather bags appeal to those who love form and function.
The Pebble Bucket
Because Loewe bags are coveted by all, Anderson opted to debut one of his latest bags at the men’s spring/summer 2024 runway show. A bag that’s equal parts structured and slouchy, the Pebble Bucket gets its name from the bag’s only piece of hardware—a gleaming, anagram-branded bulbous medallion that’s not unlike a pebble. With a strap featuring a series of belt holes, the bag’s handle is fully adjustable—take it from crossbody to hand-held in a cinch. Variations include gold or silver-toned “pebble,” three sizes (small, medium, and large), and a woven strap that reminds us of the capabilities of Loewe’s leather craftsmanship.
The Hammock
The Hammock was re-introduced by Jonathan Anderson in spring 2016, after an archival style from 1999. The bag is recognizable for its supple, flexible sides that fold like origami paper into different shapes. The Hammock Flip builds on this idea of mutability, adding on adjustable buckles and zippers that allow you to transform it from softly-structured top-handle to a roomy, hobo carryall.
