by John Gregory

Created on: February 03, 2010

RAYMOND LOEWY – DESIGNER OF A WORLD

Introduction

The Pennsylvania Railroad's S1 steam locomotive, the Lucky Strike white package, the modern Coca-Cola bottle, the Chubb firm logo, the five cent John F. Kennedy postage stamp, the Studebaker Avanti, the Shell oil company logo; these famous and familiar things, and many not-so-famous or familiar, were conceive din the design offices of an industrial designer, with a genius and vision the like of which we may never see again. His name? Raymond Loewy.

Possibly the most iconic and influential designer of the twentieth century, Raymond Fernand Loewy  was born in Paris, France on November 5th 1893, the son of Viennese journalist Maximilian Loewy and Marie Labalme.

Young Raymond seemed to have had innate talent for blending design and functionality. Before he was fifteen, he designed a model aircraft which, in 1908, he entered in The Coupe Aéronautique (one division of The Gordon Bennett Cup). Loewy’s model aircraft won the cup in its class for powered air racing.

After his success, Loewy showed that he possessed business acumen, as well as a talent for design, by selling copies of the aircraft, which was called ‘The Ayrel’ 

In 1910, Loewy graduated from the University of Paris where he had majored in electrical engineering, and then enrolled in the Ecole Lanneau, to study advanced engineering. He graduated from there in 1918

The last year of World War I saw young Raymond serving in the French Army, rising to the rank of Captain. He was wounded in combat and received The Croix de Guerre. After the war, wearing his Captain's uniform and with fifty dollars, Loewy took a ship to America. He was 26 years old.

The Beginning Of A Legend

Loewy, settled in New York and soon got employment as an illustrator for the fashion publication Harper's Bazaar’, and the fashion and lifestyle magazine ‘Vogue’. His flair for creativity and application to the work ethic enabled him to hold an additional position as a window dresser for some of the city’s department store, such as Saks, Wanamaker's, and Macy's.

In 1929, a decade after arriving in America, Loewy’s aptitude for design saw him appointed Art Director of The Westinghouse Electric Company. He also suggested a re-design of the British manufacturer, Gestetner mimeograph machines, the original design of which stood on thin, projecting metal legs which Lowey felt was a dangerous and bad design To demonstrate this,

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