The creation of the Flamenco Surplus. Photograph courtesy of Loewe. Spanish luxury fashion house Loewe recently made headlines by turning a meme into reality with its realistic tomato design bag. The red leather clutch, complete with a gold stem, was posted on ‘X’ by creative director Jonathan Anderson after a user shared a photo of an heirloom tomato captioned, “this tomato is so Loewe”. Although not yet available for purchase, this playful design underscores Loewe’s innovative approach to fashion, blending creativity with whimsy.
The brand’s latest accessory, the Flamenco Surplus, showcases a different form of innovation by using leftover leather from previous collections. Building on Loewe’s ongoing Surplus Project, an initiative to promote sustainability and reduce waste by creatively upcycling old materials, the bag is carefully crafted by a team of artisans who cut and compress sections of leather before skiving each panel. The technique removes thin layers from the surface to reveal undulating layers of colour. The result is a wave-like design reminiscent of rock strata or topographical illustrations.
The Flamenco is defined by the ‘Flamenco skirt’ effect created when its coiled knots are pulled to cinch the bag closed. It’s the perfect interim clutch, while fashion enthusiasts eagerly await the iconic tomato piece to ripen into the market.
