Raymond Loewy on Design: 44 year old "60 Minutes" interview

[JamesR]

Pretty interesting insights from a guy who styled some iconic cars...and his impact goes well beyond that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Avanti Bill]

Very interesting, brilliant guy and very able to promote his product.  I'm biased but I think the Avanti is perhaps the most timeless car design ever.

[Hans1]

James R.   Thank you for finding this vision of the past/ future.

Many of us lived and were affected by these things.

I still have drawings of modifications to 53 Studebakers, made as a young person.

[Bhigdog]

I use my Loewy designed Sunbeam T-20 radiant toaster several times a week. Just looking at it gives me pleasure and the chrome rivals the show chrome any high end shop puts out.........Bob

[JamesR]

3 hours ago, Bhigdog said:

I use my Loewy designed Sunbeam T-20 radiant toaster several times a week. Just looking at it gives me pleasure and the chrome rivals the show chrome any high end shop puts out.........Bob

 

Interesting! Could we possibly get a picture of that from you?

 

I should mention (for the sake of getting a broad overview of Loewy's career): He also had a reputation among some colleagues as a guy who took credit for the work of others.  I've read that Virgil Exner wasn't a fan of his. I don't say this to trash him, but because the interview didn't mention it and it seems to be a part of  the Loewy story. Regardless, I love the cars that he and his firm worked on.

[Guest]

There’s a very detailed video on the Sunbeam Radiant toaster here:

 

 

 

[Bhigdog]

As an aside, and a bit OT to old cars but OT to the thread, Leowy designed Sunbeam toasters are available on Ebay. Be prepared to turn your wallet upside down. If they need fixing or adjustment the repair manual is a MUST..............Bob

[58L-Y8]

 

Not to burst anyone's bubble, but the majority of cars Raymond Loewy took credit for were actually designed by employees of his industrial design firm Raymond Loewy Associates which provided design consultancy for a broad selection manufactured products from appliances, the Coke bottle up to streamlined steam locomotives.  His initial automotive work was for Hupmobile, the 1932-'34 'cycle-fender' then the 1934-'36 Aerodynamics.  Studebaker took a contract with his design firm beginning in 1936, the first cars done by the design service were the 1938 models.   Although the contract was extremely expensive, Studebaker was able to remain competitive with Harley Earl's GM styling juggernaut.  The contacted ended during 1955.

 

More than anything else, Loewy was extremely good at recognizing design talent, hiring many of the best at various time including Virgil Exner, Bob Bourke, Clare Hodgman, Bob Koto, Gordon Buehrig, Bob Andrews, Tucker Madawick, John Reinhart, Jack Aldrich, Ed Hermann, Vince Gardner, Albrecht Goertz, John Epstein, Tom Kellogg and myriad others.  The other skill he practiced that made this firm so influential and successful was the ability to 'sell' progressive designs to recalcitrant, conversative company managers.  The results are we have a good many fine designs to appreciate now, even decades later.

[Bhigdog]

The fact that he "only" oversaw and no doubt "only" approved (or not) the designs of others doesn't diminish his accomplishments.  If not him personally someone sure designed a great looking toaster............Bob