At the crossroads of fragrance, decorative objects and sensory experience, Loewe candles embody contemporary luxury. How can a simple candle become a style icon?
In the world of luxury, some objects transcend their original function to become true aesthetic totems. This is precisely what Loewe has achieved with its scented candles. Far from being mere olfactory accessories, they encapsulate the very DNA of the Spanish house: artistic sensitivity, exceptional craftsmanship, and boundless creativity.
A singular design, an instant signature
“At first glance, Loewe candles stand apart. Their glazed terracotta vessels, with vibrant colors and sculptural lines, evoke both a work of art and the ancient Mediterranean amphora. Conceived by Jonathan Anderson, the house’s artistic director for over a decade, they are designed to be displayed as pieces.
A passionate collector of antiques, the designer drew inspiration from vintage candles and candlesticks to shape these vessels. The result is a singular form, both rustic and sophisticated that easily fits into the lively aesthetic of the Spanish house.
A testament to their status as objects in their own right, photographer Alice Moitié, a long-time collaborator of the house recently revealed in an unboxing video how she religiously keeps the empty jars of her Loewe candles. One now sits proudly in her kitchen… repurposed as a cup. A simple yet telling gesture: here, the candle transcends its original function to become a decorative piece, and then a functional object of everyday life.
An unexpected olfactory palette
But the real magic happens above all when they are lit. Forget sweet vanilla or slightly conventional floral notes. Loewe dares with vegetal scents, sometimes earthy, almost disconcerting: sweet pea, coriander, beetroot, wild oregano, mushroom, and even wasabi. A truly botanical, almost apothecary-like approach to fragrance.
These unusual fragrances trace their roots to Jonathan Anderson’s strolls through Kew Gardens in West London. This extraordinary site, home to one of the world’s largest collections of plants, with some 30,000 species has become a major source of inspiration for the house’s olfactory creations.
Together with Nùria Cruelles, Loewe’s head perfumer, he conceived this range of unique scents. Each candle becomes a miniature sensory experience, a journey into the heart of nature, where forgotten or even unexpected essences are rediscovered. A home fragrance, yes but created with the same rigor as a perfume for the skin.
Among the most emblematic creations, the tomato leaf candle holds a special place. Inspired by the green, vibrant and slightly acidic scent of tomato plants, it embodies the house’s close bond with this fruit. The beefsteak tomato, fleshy and almost baroque in form, was even once described as ‘so Loewe’ in a viral tweet. A playful nod that the house cleverly turned into a true communicationtool, later unveiling a series of accessories in the fruit’s image, proof that at Loewe, olfactory inspiration can spill over into every realm of creation.
A cult object in the making?
“The success of Loewe candles shows no signs of slowing. Featured on the most curated Instagram feeds and often sold out, they have become the new must-have for design enthusiasts and lovers of rare fragrances. Their high price €90 for the smallest model and up to €395 for the largest is no deterrent; if anything, it only adds to their allure.
For many, it’s a way of stepping into the Loewe universe. A kind of ‘entry-level’ piece, relative, of course, yet very real within a luxury house renowned for its craftsmanship. To buy a Loewe candle is to acquire a tangible fragment of its singular aesthetic: an object displayed as much as it is lit, filling interiors with sophisticated fragrance.
So, passing fad or true cult object? Judging by their magnetic appeal, Loewe candles seem well on their way to establishing themselves as one of the emblems of contemporary luxury.
