Loewe collaborate with Studio Ghibli for the final time
This collaboration is based around Howl’s Moving Castle, and features Taylor Russell
words Rhys Thomas
Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. It’s a phrase people say when something good is over – think of it what you will, it doesn’t matter here because ONE FINAL LOEWE x Studio Ghibli collaboration is about to drop! Yes, on February 1, the last capsule collection from the Spanish fashion powerhouse and everyone’s boyfriend’s favourite animation company arrives exclusively at Selfirdge’s Corner Shop (the cool trendy art gallery/store from the department store with the yellow bags). The collection will then be widely available from February 2). Make a note in the calendar!
Previously we’ve seen LOEWE reimagine the characters and worlds of My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away, and the third collection will see Howl’s Moving Castle come to wearable life. Good things come in threes, bla bla bla.
The collection is a lot of fun, ranging from bags and jackets to accessories, the film’s key characters: Sophie, Howl, fire demon Calcifer, Markl, Heen, Turnip Head, and the Witch of Waste all feature, as do some of the beautiful landscapes from the film. Some of the bags are literally just the character made three-dimensional, in other instances details such as appliqué, raffia, and feathers make the characters stand out as if they were alive. It is bold and colourful. We love the Calcifer clutch bag (he’s a fire demon).
Taylor Russell, who stars alongside Timothée Chalamet in Bones and All, features as one of the collection’s models, the photography is shot by Juergen Teller. Howl’s Moving Castle is said to have been the director, Hayao Miyazaki’s favourite Studio Ghibli film that he directed, so it’s nice to see it get a new lease of life for this reason too.
Alongside a pop-up at the Selfridges Corner Shop, the department store will host a multi-dimensional LOEWE x Howl’s Moving Castle experience, including a cafe, cinema screenings and more. Well worth a visit if you’re in central London!