The thing about an opulent clutch designed to resemble an heirloom tomato and an actual heirloom tomato is that both are objects of beauty. Resplendent in their forms, weighty in the hand (as things of quality often are), and even more mesmerizing when opened. This creation from Spanish luxury fashion house Loewe is exemplary of former creative director Jonathan Anderson’s penchant for infusing sophistication and whimsy into the brand’s designs.
The mythology of this bag belongs to a tangled provenance only possible in the age of social media: Did it begin with a meme? Or did a meme perfectly align with the fashion house’s plans? When an image of a real, unblemished heirloom tomato with pronounced lobes and an opaque red hue was shared widely within the art and fashion community, the fashion literate immediately recognized this ordinary, stunning tomato as “so Loewe.” Very IYKYK. Then Anderson shared the meme. Soon after, he posted a video giving a preview of a deep red orb with a gold calyx and the caption “Loewe meme to reality.” Now the clutch is a part of the fashion house’s spring collection. It’s left the confines of our screens to be made real, ready to be filled with coins, keys, and maybe even a very tiny cell phone.
Loewe has shown an affinity for tomatoes. In particular, the clean vegetal fragrance of tomato leaves serves as muse for a collection of lotions, candles, incense, hand soaps, and room sprays. With the tomato clutch, the inspiration expands beyond the conceptual and becomes a tangible homage to the fruit itself.
The tomato isn’t the only muse here. It’s a proclamation of our observations as well. In the era of the internet, the circuitous, often murky, nature of art and inspiration plays out in a collective conversation that benefits from a degree of obscurity. A meme can enter and leave the zeitgeist like a blazing comet. Inspiration can be captured and made real. In this case, art is not an imitation of life, simply the outcome of it.
