For those in the know, French-born American industrial designer Raymond Loewy is the “father of streamlining.” He is widely recognized as a pioneer of industrial design consulting — a creative powerhouse who took aim at cluttered designs and simplified them. Loewy left his mark on everything from toothbrushes to trashcans to spacecraft interiors. He designed cars, worked in illustration, and crafted comely dressers and other furniture.
Loewy was born in Paris, France. At age 15, he designed a model airplane that was powered by rubber bands. It won the James Gordon Bennett Cup of 1908. Loewy patented the model kit for this plane by the following year and saw brisk sales. With his savings, Loewy was able to study at the University of Paris and then at Ecole de Lanneau, where he earned an engineering degree in 1918.
Loewy moved to New York City in 1919 and found work as a window designer for the department stores Macy's, Wanamaker's and Saks and as a fashion illustrator for Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Loewy’s big break in industrial design came in 1929 when he altered the Gestetner duplicating machine — removing jutting parts and encasing the moving works in an understated cover. It caused a sensation within the industry — and companies began to call on him.
Loewy designed packaging for Coca-Cola and revised the look of Lucky cigarettes. The “Loewy Look,” which referred to the designer’s efforts to strip a product of any unnecessary detail and streamline its appearance, began to characterize hundreds of products.
Loewy found clients in a dizzying number of companies. He did everything from retooling logos to redesigning products. His 1934 Sears Coldspot refrigerator was a sleek innovation that broke sales records. His Pennsylvania Railroad locomotive resembled a speeding bullet and was the darling of the 1939 World’s Fair. Loewy even reworked shapes for snacks at Nabisco. By the time World War II gathered steam, Raymond Loewy Associates — the industrial design firm he founded — had been operating in a number of American cities. When Time magazine featured him on the cover in October 1949 — Loewy was not shy about publicity — his profile soared.
Loewy worked with Studebaker for decades. The success of their 1953 Starliner coupe was due to his revolutionary design, while their 1963 futuristic, fiberglass-bodied Avanti, which came with advanced safety features and materialized at a time when the company was experiencing financial hardship, was his crowning achievement for the maker.
Returning to his roots in aviation, Loewy worked for NASA from 1967 to 1973 on the interior design of the Skylab space station. He was also involved in the interior designs of the Concorde supersonic jet and Air Force One. Loewy delighted in creating furniture and collaborated with manufacturers such as Mengel Furniture, Rosenthal and Doubinsky Frères. In the 1970s, Loewy and his wife shuttered their businesses and retired in France.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Raymond Loewy cabinets, serveware, seating and more.
Drawing "box" for NASA - Raymond Loewy and William Snaith
By Raymond Loewy
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Drawing "box" for NASA - Raymond Loewy and William Snaith Space station Habitability study On tracing paper Circa 1969 30x22 490€
Paper
Helmeted man 2" drawing for NASA - Raymond Loewy and William Snaith
By Raymond Loewy
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Helmeted man 2" drawing for NASA - Raymond Loewy and William Snaith Apollo orbital workshop - Habitability study India ink on cardboard Signed and dated Raymond Loewy's initials 1...
Paper
"Helmeted man 4" drawing for NASA - Raymond Loewy and William Snaith
By Raymond Loewy
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Helmeted man 4" drawing for NASA - Raymond Loewy and William Snaith Space Station - Habitability study On cardboard 16 February 1969 42,5x35 990€
Paper
Dessin « helmeted man 3 » pour la NASA - Raymond Loewy et William Snaith
By Raymond Loewy
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Helmeted man 3" drawing for NASA - Raymond Loewy and William Snaith Apollo orbital workshop - Habitability study India ink on cardboard Signed and dated Raymond Loewy's initials 1...
Paper
Drawing « helmeted man 1 » for the NASA - Raymond Loewy et William Snaith
By Raymond Loewy
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Helmeted man 1" drawing for NASA - Raymond Loewy and William Snaith Space station - Habitability study On paper 16 February 1969 42x35 490€
Paper
$711
H 10.63 in W 7.68 in D 0.04 in
Figurative Ink Painting N.1 'Vessels' by Dmitry Samygin
By Dmitry Samygin
Located in Paris, FR
Figurative Ink on Cotton paper Painting N.1 'Vessels' by Dmitry Samygin H.27 x 19.5 cm About Dmitry Samygin Furniture and Product Designer. His approach relies on simple forms and clarity in ideas with carefully chosen materials to expose the essence of an object. His products exemplify humanistic design, comfort in everyday use and ergonomic function. He is a prize-winner in international competitions. He has taken part in exhibitions in Paris, Milan and Moscow, collaborates with European and Russian production, architectural and design companies. Since 2021 Dmitriy's design has been presented in a permanent exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Moscow. Dmitry's graphics and designs are in private collections all over the world. Samygin's Awards 2023 I+D / Design Now / winner (product design & decor) 2021 Red dot / Modul 2021 I+D magazine award / Shelter (covers for the sculptures of Moscow State Architectural Museum) 2020 Best 2020 AD Russia 2019 Andrew World...
Cotton, Paper, Ink
$3,440
H 25.2 in W 19.69 in
Metamorphosis III - Haude Bernabé, 21st Century, Contemporary Figurative Drawing
By Haude Bernabé
Located in Paris, FR
Ink and graphite on paper Signed, entitled and dated below
Paper, Ink, Graphite
$3,440
H 25.2 in W 19.69 in
Metamorphosis I - Haude Bernabé, 21st Century, Contemporary Figurative Drawing
By Haude Bernabé
Located in Paris, FR
Ink and graphite on paper Signed, entitled and dated below
Paper, Ink, Graphite
$3,440
H 29.93 in W 22.05 in
Polymorphisms IV - Haude Bernabé, 21st Century, Contemporary figurative drawing
By Haude Bernabé
Located in Paris, FR
Ink and graphite on paper Signed, dated and entitled lower left
Paper, Ink, Graphite
$2,965
H 25.6 in W 19.69 in
Untitled - Parmis Sayous 21st Century drawing, Iranian contemporary painting
By Parmis Sayous
Located in Paris, FR
Pastel on paper Created in 2018 in Paris, France Unique work Signed by the artist
Paper, Pastel
$2,965
H 25.6 in W 19.69 in
The owner II - Parmis Sayous 21st Century drawing, Iranian contemporary painter
By Parmis Sayous
Located in Paris, FR
Pastel on paper Created in 2018 in Paris, France Unique work Signed by the artist
Paper, Pastel
$3,440
H 29.93 in W 22.05 in
Polymorphisms II - Haude Bernabé, 21st Century, Contemporary Figurative Drawing
By Haude Bernabé
Located in Paris, FR
Ink and graphite on paper Signed, entitled and dated below
Paper, Ink, Graphite
$4,626
H 29.93 in W 20.87 in
The planting of Happiness #1 Hélène Duclos Contemporary art drawing landscape
By Hélène Duclos
Located in Paris, FR
Gouache and color pencil on paper Unique work Hand-signed by the artist The red necklace of the naked Queens “My artistic research has expanded over the years, crossing paths alre...
Paper, Gouache, Color Pencil
$3,440
H 11.82 in W 16.54 in
My African remix Haude Bernabé Contemporary art drawing work on paper nature
By Haude Bernabé
Located in Paris, FR
Watercolour on paper Unique work Hand-signed by the artist
Paper, Watercolor
$2,965
H 25.6 in W 19.69 in
Adaptation #6 Zahra Zeinali Contemporary drawing blue young girl dream tale art
By Zahra Zeinali
Located in Paris, FR
Charcoal and pastel on paper Unique work Hand-signed by the artist
Paper, Charcoal, Pastel
$3,440
H 16.54 in W 11.82 in
The governor of time Haude Bernabé Contemporary art drawing watercolour paper
By Haude Bernabé
Located in Paris, FR
Watercolour on paper Unique work Hand-signed lower right by the artist
Paper, Watercolor
$4,152
H 25.2 in W 17.72 in
Forgotten Joanna Flatau Contemporary art watercolor woman nude portrait ink
By Joanna Flatau
Located in Paris, FR
Watercolor and ink on paper Unique work Hand-signed by the artist Joanna Flatau was born in Varsaw, Poland. She graduated from Varsaw History of Arts University and from the Fine A...
Paper, Ink, Watercolor
Sold
H 12.21 in W 16.54 in D 0.4 in
Oral valve for inflation - drawing for NASA - Raymond Loewy and William Snaith
By Raymond Loewy
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Drawing "Oral valve for inflation" for NASA - Raymond Loewy and William Snaith India ink on cardboard Signed and dated with Raymond Loewy's initials 1968 41,5x31 990€
Paper
Sold
H 16.54 in W 13.78 in D 0.4 in
Drawing « two helmeted men » for the NASA - Raymond Loewy et William Snaith
By Raymond Loewy
Located in Saint-Didier, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
"two helmeted men" drawing for NASA - Raymond Loewy and William Snaith Space station - Habitability study On paper 16 February 1969 42,5 x35 490€
Paper