Loewe is unveiling a third — and final — collaboration with Studio Ghibli in a pop-up at The Dubai Mall's Fashion Catwalk, from February 2 to 14.
Called Loewe x Howl’s Moving Castle, this is the latest chapter in the collaboration between the Spanish leather house and the Japanese animation studio.
The range focuses on the Oscar-nominated animated film from 2004, Howl’s Moving Castle, by Japanese animator, director and manga artist Hayao Miyazaki. The film is rumoured to be Miyazaki's personal favourite.
Studio Ghibli films are particularly popular in Japan, but the charming stories also bookmark the childhoods of people in many other parts of the world.
Characters from the film, which include Sophie, Howl and the fire demon Calcifer, as well as Markl, Heen, Turnip Head and the Witch of the Waste, now appear scattered through a collection that shifts from bags and small leather accessories to clothing, including hoodies, jumpers, cardigans, T-shirts, jackets, jeans, silk shirts, skirts, capes and shoes.
Leaning into Loewe's savoir faire, the characters are rendered in numerous materials, from shearling intarsia, raffia and feathers, to embroidery and applique, as well as being drawn on to leather. The castle of the title itself makes an appearance, patchworked from remnants of Loewe’s famous leather, while other images are illustrated on bags such as the Puzzle, Flamenco, Hammock, Amazona and Luna, in addition to the Bracelet pouch, in applique and printing.
Jonathan Anderson, creative director at Loewe, says: "Blending hand-drawn and digital animation, Howl’s Moving Castle is technically innovative, exemplifying the power of craft as a bridge between the old and new — a creative approach that Loewe is proud to share. In the collection, we pushed creativity with bold, intricately crafted pieces designed to bring the world of the film, literally, to life. Key pieces embody the beloved characters and backdrops, giving wearers the chance to identify with the film on a deep level and escape into its rich layers. It’s almost like handcrafted virtual reality in wearable form."
This follows two previous projects, Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro, which were a global phenomenon, disappearing from shelves faster than they could be restocked. When Spirited Away was launched in January 2022, such was the rush to buy online that the whole Loewe website crashed. Given this is the final instalment, these latest items are expected to sell out even faster.
The good news is that for die-hard fans, Loewe is opening a pre-sale on Loewe.com one day ahead of the event, on February 1, granting exclusive access to clients that have registered online, and a chance to snap up the latest creations a day before everyone else. In addition, selected Calcifer items will be exclusively sold online.
“The world we are living in needs a counteract: not as an escape, but as a different outlook, Anderson says, explaining why the work of Studio Ghibli is still so relevant.
"This, to me, is what Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films for Studio Ghibli are about: a commentary on the moment and an alternative to it, always heartfelt, fulfilling, full of fantasy and sentiment. This is also the reason why the final instalment of our collaboration with Studio Ghibli feels more timely than ever.”
To celebrate, Loewe commissioned Juergen Teller to shoot the advertising campaign, resulting in playful images starring Taylor Russell, Rianne Van Rompaey, Oliver O’Sullivan, Hyunji Shin and a sheep, photographed against a white backdrop, resulting in off-beat images that are as quirky – and charming – as the pieces themselves.
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
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Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
Ads on social media can 'normalise' drugs
A UK report on youth social media habits commissioned by advocacy group Volteface found a quarter of young people were exposed to illegal drug dealers on social media.
The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.
Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.
Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.
