“Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links.”
This year, the Loewe Puzzle bag celebrates its 10th birthday. Since its debut in the Spring 2015 women’s runway collection (it had also appeared on the men’s runways earlier that season), the Puzzle has been reimagined in countless materials and configurations and has become an emblem of the 179-year-old Spanish fashion house. Designed by Loewe’s former creative director, Jonathan Anderson, the bag is handcrafted to resemble origami. Its distinctive, easily recognizable cuboid shape and patchwork leather appearance earned the bag its name. Ten years later, the Puzzle bag remains one of the most unique yet functional designs on the market.
In the 21st century, it’s nearly impossible to come up with something truly new (handbag or not). The past decade has witnessed numerous reissues of previously beloved styles—a de facto cheat code for nostalgia-fueled success. Last year, Balenciaga rereleased its City bag, initially launched in 2001. Dior has reissued both their Lady Dior and Saddle bags, and Chloé just relaunched its Paddington style 20 years after its debut. It’s rare to see truly revolutionary design in the modern handbag marketplace, but under Anderson, Loewe managed to do so by way of the Puzzle.
Rachel Glicksberg, Women’s Fashion and New Initiatives Lead at The RealReal agrees with this sentiment of uniqueness, saying this genderfluid piece of “wearable art” is destined to stay relevant. “The brilliance of Jonathan Anderson’s Puzzle style is both its innovative design and impeccable craftsmanship,” she explains. “We are in a fast-changing landscape of newness, trends, and decreasing quality in the primary luxury market. We predict that the brands that will go the distance as future classics and maintain, if not increase in resale value, are the ones that focus on craftsmanship and quality.”
Reddit threads and comment sections alike laud the Puzzle’s versatility, claiming it only gets better with time, a motion seconded by Glicksberg and data from The RealReal. As she puts it, a “modern ‘it’ bag for a heritage company” is a street style favorite; the unique shape has adorned the arms of celebrities including Beyonce, Sienna Miller, Cate Blanchett, Kate Bosworth, and Julianne Moore.
To celebrate its anniversary, Loewe will release their Puzzle 10 collection with 19 re-editions from past collections, along with one entirely new design on May 29th. (Since its origin, there have been numerous re-editions featuring everything from painterly motifs inspired by the British Arts & movement to one adorned with marquetry pansies nodding to the work of American artist and poet Joe Brainard.) The newest “Confetti” design is adorned with thousands of tiny leather and metal sequins, referencing sculptural cubes of compressed confetti Italian artist Lara Favaretto created for the house’s fall 2023 women’s runway show. Each bag in the collection features a commemorative metal plaque and comes with two Loewe balloon charms.
To discover the new collection, a digital experience on Loewe’s site will allow users to explore the Puzzle’s history and the new and reissued styles, which will be available in select Loewe stores. A dedicated pop-up at Bergdorf Goodman in New York will showcase select re-editions in the store’s Fifth Avenue windows. A fitting birthday celebration after a decade-long journey to its status as a modern classic.
You Might Also Like
4 Investment-Worthy Skincare Finds From Sephora
The 17 Best Retinol Creams Worth Adding to Your Skin Care Routine
