Loewy's start as an industrial designer had been the improvement of the existing Gestetner duplicator in 1929. Sigmund Gestetner was somewhat skeptical of Lowey's ability to improve the existing design. Lowey was given only three days to redesign the duplicating machine. Loewy had no time for major changes and came up with simple but brilliant solution which was hiding all the mechanical elements of the machine in wooden shell. "Upon agreement, Loewy purchased one hundred dollars worth of Plasticine clay, spread a tarpaulin on the floor of his small living room, covered the original machine with clay, and reshaped it into a handsome cabinet that concealed all of the mechanisms except the operating controls. In effect Loewy transformed what was the product from a collection of mechanisms into a piece of office furniture". (1) It was a great success.
Soon after that Loewy signed up with the Hupp Motor Company and it was the beginning of his industrial design career. The 1932 V-8 Spider Cabriolet was the first car that Lowey was satisfied with. His 1934 Hupp mobile designs, though elegant, failed to rescue the company and were discontinued in 1936.
In 1933 Loewy opened an office and engaged several designers in two his projects. The firm was expending quickly. Once established his business, Lowey, like the other leaders of large consultant design firms, provided oversight and a sense of direction but delegated most of the day-to-day design tasks to subordinates. All the firm's designs were said to be his, and his name went on all the drawings because the wider his fame, the easier to get work for the business. Loewy's primary job was to be the firm's brand, to win and then to retain clients, and to hire and manage talented staffers.
One of the early successful works was the Cold spot refrigerator, designed for Sears. With the new design refrigerator' sales went sky-high. This was one of the first cases of styling for mass production by the design consultant.
Following S-1 Steam locomotive for the Pennsylvania was extremely successful and establishing higher standards in this industry field. "The success of the GG-1 project and the famous Refuse Receptacle led the Pennsylvania to put Loewy on a retainer, securing his “exclusive services in the railway field.” The contract called for Loewy to receive an annual payment, at first $20,000, later ranging up to $25,000. In addition, the Pennsylvania would pay for labor, materials, and overhead charges. During the years the Loewy organization worked for the railroad, its income from this account sometimes exceeded $100,000." (2)
In 1940 Loewy redesigned Lucky Strike pack. Classic transformation of the package included: replacing the green background with white, turning the circular motif into a stronger target device, making both sides of the pack identical by featuring the target on both sides,
sharpening up the typography. Loewy pointed out that his Lucky Strike package design brought new ideas about cigarette packs.
(1)
Angela Schoenberger (author), "Raymond Loewy: Pioneer of American Industrial Design". Prestel-Verlag, Munich, 1990, p 232, 75, 36
(2)
Glenn Porter (author), "Raymond Lowey and the Pennsylvania railroad", http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/it/1996/4/1996_4_8.shtml
Soon after that Loewy signed up with the Hupp Motor Company and it was the beginning of his industrial design career. The 1932 V-8 Spider Cabriolet was the first car that Lowey was satisfied with. His 1934 Hupp mobile designs, though elegant, failed to rescue the company and were discontinued in 1936.
In 1933 Loewy opened an office and engaged several designers in two his projects. The firm was expending quickly. Once established his business, Lowey, like the other leaders of large consultant design firms, provided oversight and a sense of direction but delegated most of the day-to-day design tasks to subordinates. All the firm's designs were said to be his, and his name went on all the drawings because the wider his fame, the easier to get work for the business. Loewy's primary job was to be the firm's brand, to win and then to retain clients, and to hire and manage talented staffers.
One of the early successful works was the Cold spot refrigerator, designed for Sears. With the new design refrigerator' sales went sky-high. This was one of the first cases of styling for mass production by the design consultant.
Following S-1 Steam locomotive for the Pennsylvania was extremely successful and establishing higher standards in this industry field. "The success of the GG-1 project and the famous Refuse Receptacle led the Pennsylvania to put Loewy on a retainer, securing his “exclusive services in the railway field.” The contract called for Loewy to receive an annual payment, at first $20,000, later ranging up to $25,000. In addition, the Pennsylvania would pay for labor, materials, and overhead charges. During the years the Loewy organization worked for the railroad, its income from this account sometimes exceeded $100,000." (2)
In 1940 Loewy redesigned Lucky Strike pack. Classic transformation of the package included: replacing the green background with white, turning the circular motif into a stronger target device, making both sides of the pack identical by featuring the target on both sides,
sharpening up the typography. Loewy pointed out that his Lucky Strike package design brought new ideas about cigarette packs.
(1)
Angela Schoenberger (author), "Raymond Loewy: Pioneer of American Industrial Design". Prestel-Verlag, Munich, 1990, p 232, 75, 36
(2)
Glenn Porter (author), "Raymond Lowey and the Pennsylvania railroad", http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/it/1996/4/1996_4_8.shtml
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