Meet Raymond Loewy The Designer Who Shaped America

“There is a frantic race to merchandise tinsel and trash under the guise of ‘modernism,’” Loewy once said. “I can claim to have made the daily life of the 20th Century more beautiful.”

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1 of 41 2 of 41 3 of 41 4 of 41 5 of 41Subject: Plaster painted model of the Studebaker, South Bend Indiana. 1946 Photographer- Bernard Hoffman Merlin- 1139184 Time Life owned 6 of 41Raymond Loewy in his office in New York behind a model of the Prudential plane on March 4, 1964. Loewy, one of the world’s renowned industrial designers, has been criticizing the shape of things for almost 40 years. (AP Photo/RG) 7 of 41Raymond Loewy in his office in New York behind a model of the Prudential plane on March 4, 1964. Loewy, one of the world’s renowned industrial designers, has been criticizing the shape of things for almost 40 years. (AP Photo/RG) 8 of 41 9 of 41 10 of 41Watched by several associates, French-born American industrial designer Raymond Loewy (second left) makes some adjustments to a painted plaster model of a new Studebaker at the company’s manufacturing plant, South Bend, Indiana, 1946. Bernard Hoffman/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images 11 of 41Loewy designed with streamlined aesthetics in mind, such as this TWA hotel counter. 12 of 41A vibrant poolside party in Palm Springs, January 1970. Featured in the group are: industrial designer Raymond Loewy, (center, standing), Nelda Linsk (in yellow), wife of art dealer Joseph Linsk, and Helen Dzo Dzo (second from right). Slim Aarons/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 13 of 41With a goldenrod-hued Avanti of his design. raymondloewy_/Instagram 14 of 41Loewy surrounded by some of his more unique designs. The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images 15 of 41An advertisement for Loewy’s “Cosmopolitan” line of fabrics and wallpapers. 16 of 41Loewy and the Lux Flakes box, the packaging for Lucky Strike cigarettes, as well as the logo for Frigidaire refrigerators, March 1948. Bob Landry/Pix/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images 17 of 41One of Loewy’s earlier successes — the redesign of Sears’ Coldspot refrigerator. Dwell 18 of 41In the ultimate mid-century office, Loewy slaves over a fresh automobile model. Ramond Loewy/Facebook 19 of 41Loewy’s iconic, streamlined pencil sharpener design. raymondloewy_/Instagram 20 of 41Loewy’s breathtaking “Car of the Future”, featured on the cover of the August 1950 issue of Science and Mechanics. Wikimedia Commons

21 of 411962 TWA Terminal, Idlewild, New York. Library of Congress 22 of 41The spectacular indoor/outdoor swimming pool at the Loewy House, March 11, 1947. Peter Stackpole/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images 23 of 41A newly-installed “boat motor”-styled Coca-Cola soda dispenser just after its installation at Fleeman’s Pharmacy, Atlanta, Georgia, circa 1948. Wikimedia Commons 24 of 41Loewy works in front of a wall of his created logos. Ramond Loewy/Facebook 25 of 41A work in progress — Loewy’s own brainstorming notes on the Exxon logo. 26 of 41Loewy with his latest designed locomotive, 1936.Bettmann/Getty Images 27 of 41In 1967, Loewy became a habitability consultant to NASA - the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Ramond Loewy/Facebook 28 of 41An artist concept of Skylab. NASA commended Loewy’s contributions to the space station, highlighting how the crew remained comfortable and in good sprits thanks to his designs that were based on human needs. NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center/Wikimedia Commons

29 of 41A full-scale mockup of the artificial G, the interior of the shuttle-compatible space station designed by Loewy and William Snaith, Inc.NASA/MSFC

30 of 41Loewy dressed in a space suit, date unknown. 31 of 41Raymond and wife, Viola Loewy. Ramond Loewy/Facebook 32 of 41Loewy-designed Greyhound Scenicruiser bus. Ultra7/Wikimedia Commons 33 of 41Presenting his Lancia model car in October 1960. AFP via Getty Images 34 of 41Loewy was the first designer to be featured on the cover of TIME magazine. BORIS ARTZYBASHEFF/TIME

35 of 41Driving a dune buggy in the desert near Palm Springs, California, January 1970.Slim Aarons/Hulton Archive/Getty Images 36 of 41At work, 1970. 37 of 41Air Force One, to this day, carries the Loewy design — one that was a collaboration between the designer and President Kennedy. ERIC SALARD/Wikimedia Commons 38 of 41Loewy discusses his design concept for Air Force One, for the Sunday edition of The Washington Post, February 23, 1975. Ramond Loewy/Facebook 39 of 41Loewy, who had a prolific partnership with Studebaker, wrote about the new styling for “tomorrow’s rocket age population.“raymondloewy_/Instagram 40 of 41Loewy also did work for Nabisco and dreamed up the redesign for the red corner logo that’s still in use today.Ramond Loewy/Facebook 41 of 41Like this gallery?Share it:

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Meet Raymond Loewy, The Man Whose Iconic Designs Defined Mid-Century America View Gallery

From cigarette cartons to Coca-Cola; from Studebaker to Skylab, one man shaped all these things — and many more — with his signature style. Indeed, we owe much of America’s hyper futuristic mid-century aesthetic to Raymond Loewy, perhaps the most influential industrial designer in American history thus far.

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29 of 41A full-scale mockup of the artificial G, the interior of the shuttle-compatible space station designed by Loewy and William Snaith, Inc.NASA/MSFC

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29 of 41A full-scale mockup of the artificial G, the interior of the shuttle-compatible space station designed by Loewy and William Snaith, Inc.NASA/MSFC

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29 of 41A full-scale mockup of the artificial G, the interior of the shuttle-compatible space station designed by Loewy and William Snaith, Inc.NASA/MSFC

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1 of 41

2 of 41

3 of 41

4 of 41

5 of 41Subject: Plaster painted model of the Studebaker, South Bend Indiana. 1946 Photographer- Bernard Hoffman Merlin- 1139184 Time Life owned

6 of 41Raymond Loewy in his office in New York behind a model of the Prudential plane on March 4, 1964. Loewy, one of the world’s renowned industrial designers, has been criticizing the shape of things for almost 40 years. (AP Photo/RG)

7 of 41Raymond Loewy in his office in New York behind a model of the Prudential plane on March 4, 1964. Loewy, one of the world’s renowned industrial designers, has been criticizing the shape of things for almost 40 years. (AP Photo/RG)

8 of 41

9 of 41

10 of 41Watched by several associates, French-born American industrial designer Raymond Loewy (second left) makes some adjustments to a painted plaster model of a new Studebaker at the company’s manufacturing plant, South Bend, Indiana, 1946. Bernard Hoffman/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images

11 of 41Loewy designed with streamlined aesthetics in mind, such as this TWA hotel counter.

12 of 41A vibrant poolside party in Palm Springs, January 1970. Featured in the group are: industrial designer Raymond Loewy, (center, standing), Nelda Linsk (in yellow), wife of art dealer Joseph Linsk, and Helen Dzo Dzo (second from right). Slim Aarons/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

13 of 41With a goldenrod-hued Avanti of his design. raymondloewy_/Instagram

14 of 41Loewy surrounded by some of his more unique designs. The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images

15 of 41An advertisement for Loewy’s “Cosmopolitan” line of fabrics and wallpapers.

16 of 41Loewy and the Lux Flakes box, the packaging for Lucky Strike cigarettes, as well as the logo for Frigidaire refrigerators, March 1948. Bob Landry/Pix/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

17 of 41One of Loewy’s earlier successes — the redesign of Sears’ Coldspot refrigerator. Dwell

18 of 41In the ultimate mid-century office, Loewy slaves over a fresh automobile model. Ramond Loewy/Facebook

19 of 41Loewy’s iconic, streamlined pencil sharpener design. raymondloewy_/Instagram

20 of 41Loewy’s breathtaking “Car of the Future”, featured on the cover of the August 1950 issue of Science and Mechanics. Wikimedia Commons

21 of 411962 TWA Terminal, Idlewild, New York. Library of Congress

22 of 41The spectacular indoor/outdoor swimming pool at the Loewy House, March 11, 1947. Peter Stackpole/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images

23 of 41A newly-installed “boat motor”-styled Coca-Cola soda dispenser just after its installation at Fleeman’s Pharmacy, Atlanta, Georgia, circa 1948. Wikimedia Commons

24 of 41Loewy works in front of a wall of his created logos. Ramond Loewy/Facebook

25 of 41A work in progress — Loewy’s own brainstorming notes on the Exxon logo.

26 of 41Loewy with his latest designed locomotive, 1936.Bettmann/Getty Images

27 of 41In 1967, Loewy became a habitability consultant to NASA - the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Ramond Loewy/Facebook

28 of 41An artist concept of Skylab. NASA commended Loewy’s contributions to the space station, highlighting how the crew remained comfortable and in good sprits thanks to his designs that were based on human needs. NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center/Wikimedia Commons

29 of 41A full-scale mockup of the artificial G, the interior of the shuttle-compatible space station designed by Loewy and William Snaith, Inc.NASA/MSFC

30 of 41Loewy dressed in a space suit, date unknown.

31 of 41Raymond and wife, Viola Loewy. Ramond Loewy/Facebook

32 of 41Loewy-designed Greyhound Scenicruiser bus. Ultra7/Wikimedia Commons

33 of 41Presenting his Lancia model car in October 1960. AFP via Getty Images

34 of 41Loewy was the first designer to be featured on the cover of TIME magazine. BORIS ARTZYBASHEFF/TIME

35 of 41Driving a dune buggy in the desert near Palm Springs, California, January 1970.Slim Aarons/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

36 of 41At work, 1970.

37 of 41Air Force One, to this day, carries the Loewy design — one that was a collaboration between the designer and President Kennedy. ERIC SALARD/Wikimedia Commons

38 of 41Loewy discusses his design concept for Air Force One, for the Sunday edition of The Washington Post, February 23, 1975. Ramond Loewy/Facebook

39 of 41Loewy, who had a prolific partnership with Studebaker, wrote about the new styling for “tomorrow’s rocket age population.“raymondloewy_/Instagram

40 of 41Loewy also did work for Nabisco and dreamed up the redesign for the red corner logo that’s still in use today.Ramond Loewy/Facebook

41 of 41Like this gallery?Share it:

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Meet Raymond Loewy, The Man Whose Iconic Designs Defined Mid-Century America View Gallery

Meet Raymond Loewy, The Man Whose Iconic Designs Defined Mid-Century America

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When Loewy first began building his design empire, the term “industrial designer” had yet to enter the public lexicon. Creative talents aside, Loewy basically developed the concept of personal branding, which has since become a staple in modern marketing. He achieved superstardom and even became the first designer in history to appear on the cover of TIME magazine.

As a man, Loewy was the epitome of a Frenchman; dapper, confident, and with a flamboyant edge. More than this, he was willing to do anything to spark his inspiration — even if that meant using crayons and cut-out paper on the floor of JFK’s Oval Office to redesign Air Force One.

Raymond Loewy Was Drawn To Art From The Start

raymondloewy_/InstagramLoewy, who had a prolific partnership with Studebaker, wrote about the new styling for “tomorrow’s rocket age population.”

Raymond Loewy was born in a Paris suburb on Nov. 5, 1893. He was a natural artist and later studied engineering at Ecole de Lanneau, France’s premier technological university.

But before he had a chance to enter the workforce, the French army drafted him to fight in World War I. Loewy climbed the ranks from Private to Captain, and he earned the Croix de Guerre (military cross) for venturing into “No Man’s Land” in order to fix communication lines.

After the war ended, Loewy returned home to France, but he found the city ravaged by war, and his parents both died from the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. With no money and nowhere else to go, Loewy decided to join his brother who was living in New York City.

On the U.S.-bound ship, Loewy met Sir Harry Armstrong, the British consul in New York, who immediately loved Loewy’s drawings. When he got off the boat, Loewy hit the streets with $40 in cash and a glowing letter of recommendation from Armstrong. He went from window dresser to fashion illustrator in short order; becoming known for his art-deco styling and clean lines.

Loewy worked as an illustrator for nearly a decade before combining his drawing skills with his engineering background and began to promote himself under the new title of “industrial designer.”

Everyone Wants Some Of The Signature “Loewy Look”

What made Loewy’s work so desirable was its intentionality. He strove to find the ideal form of an object or the form that best expressed its function. The end result was usually something lightweight and sleek.

Known as “cleanlining” or “streamlining,” this look expressed America’s ideas of the future: efficient, hygenic, modern. Designers flock to streamline their products, from cars, to streamliner trains, and toasters.

“Simplification first and before everything else.” Loewy said. “Prosperity was at its peak but America was turning out mountains of ugly, sleazy junk. I was offended my adopted country was swamping the world with so much junk.”

Ramond Loewy/FacebookLoewy also did work for Nabisco — and dreamed up the redesign for the red corner logo that’s still in use today.

Loewy’s projects ranged from the seemingly inconsequential to the downright impressive. His first job with Penn Railroad was designing a simple trash can; his next was blueprinting an experimental, streamlined locomotive. He envisioned a popular Coca-Cola dispenser, and then went off to become a NASA consultant and design the interiors for Skylab, America’s first space station.

He often went to great lengths to achieve the look he was going for. Armour Foods hired him to redesign the packaging of their entire product line, then didn’t hear from him for six months. Turns out, Loewy and his team members were out interviewing scores of housewives that bought the products. He went with simplicity, (as usual) and the new two-color logo and scheme saved Armour enough money in printing costs to pay for Loewy’s services.

He came up with the iconic red and white Lucky Strike cigarette pack on a bet with the president of the American Tobacco Company. After Loewy’s redesign brought a dramatic sales increase, he collected his winnings of $50,000.

Loewy’s longest-lasting contract, however, was with Studebaker, an American car manufacturer. He helped design the classic automobiles from 1936 until 1963, but perhaps his most well-known model was the Avanti from the early 1960s. It is still produced today, though in limited quantity.

His Designs Are Still In Use Today

From his first industrial design job revamping the Sears’ Coldspot refrigerator in 1934 to the mid-1940s, Loewy was running the largest industrial design business in the United States.

He’s designed planes, trains, and automobiles to be simpler, more attractive, and aerodynamic. However, he was seemingly just as dedicated to his creation of a streamlined pencil sharpener. He was never tied to any one industry. Loewy’s famous logos for Shell Oil, Nabisco, and Exxon are all still used today.

After a life spent freeing Americans from “sleazy junk,” Raymond Loewy retired in 1980 at the age of 87. He left the United States and returned to France. Six years later, he died at his home in Monte Carlo. He was survived by his wife Viola, and their daughter Laurence.

As with anyone talented in the art of self-promotion, Loewy has sometimes been branded a show‐off by his peers. “I found it difficult to reconcile success with humility,” he once frankly stated. “I tried it first but it meant avoiding the very essence of my career — total exhilaration and the ecstasy of creativity.”

Next, check out these 69 photos from Woodstock that will make you wish you were there. Then, read about what happened when a white man named John Griffin “became” black in mid-20th-century America.

“There is a frantic race to merchandise tinsel and trash under the guise of ‘modernism,’” Loewy once said. “I can claim to have made the daily life of the 20th Century more beautiful.”#

Raymond Loewy Was Drawn To Art From The Start#

Everyone Wants Some Of The Signature “Loewy Look”#

His Designs Are Still In Use Today#

“There is a frantic race to merchandise tinsel and trash under the guise of ‘modernism,’” Loewy once said. “I can claim to have made the daily life of the 20th Century more beautiful.”

Raymond Loewy Was Drawn To Art From The Start

Everyone Wants Some Of The Signature “Loewy Look”

His Designs Are Still In Use Today