Courtesy of Loewe
A decade after its debut, Loewe has released the Puzzle 10 Collection to celebrate Jonathan Anderson’s most symbolic creation.
If Jonathan Anderson’s legacy at Loewe could be distilled into a single object, it would be the Puzzle bag. Debuting in his first menswear collection as a cubist duffle, it reemerged that same year in the women’s Spring/Summer 2015 show as a top-handle style. It was the house’s first new handbag silhouette since the eighties, quickly becoming not just the “It bag” of the season, but arguably of the decade.
A precise synthesis of masculine structure and feminine refinement, the Puzzle’s architecture is rooted in origami-like geometry that allows it to fold completely flat. Originally developed from 75 individual leather components and requiring over 500 meticulous steps, it takes nine hours to complete in Spain. Versatile by design, it can be carried five different ways: as a shoulder bag, cross-body, top handle, or as a clutch, expanded or folded flat, adapting seamlessly to the rhythm of modern life.
In the decade since, Anderson has continually reimagined the Puzzle to reflect his seasonal vision; expanding its scale, toying with colour, texture, and silhouette, and inviting collaborators like Studio Ghibli, Suna Fujita, and Paula’s Ibiza to reinvent its outer skin. The bag has grown into a full family of designs, including totes, wallets, belt bags, and pouches. It’s been seen in the hands of Beyonce and Sienna Miller in New York, on Park Bo Gum in Record of Youth, and on Dame Maggie Smith in Loewe’s Spring 2024 campaign. Like the Dior Saddle or the Fendi Baguette, the Puzzle is now cemented in fashion’s contemporary handbag vocabulary.
To celebrate its tenth anniversary, Loewe has released 19 archival re-editions, accompanied by an exclusive confetti design, that chart the bag’s journey through Anderson’s creative universe. From the FW15 camaieu suede in pink gradations, Joe Brainard’s vibrant pansies, and the retro-glitched Pixel design, each iteration reflects a different facet of Anderson’s artistry. This milestone marks both a celebration and a farewell, as Jonathan prepares to present his first collection for Dior, and Loewe enters a new chapter under Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler, the Puzzle will remain his enduring emblem of craftsmanship, transformation, and joyful design.
