For something to be beautiful, it doesn’t have to be pretty,” Rei Kawakubo once said. A striking idea, especially in a world like fashion where ‘pretty’ has long been treated as a kind of currency. But what happens when an object isn’t traditionally pretty, yet still becomes one of the most unforgettable icons of its time?

Take the Loewe Puzzle for instance, an origami-inspired bag created by Jonathan Anderson where its construction is distinct from the conventional forms of “pretty” found in other bags of its era — without exaggeration, and definitely without any effacing traits. And in the decade filled with creative risks and reinvention, the Puzzle stands as one of the former creative director’s most enduring contributions to the fashion landscape. After all, if there’s a single design that captures the essence of his tenure at Loewe, it’s this one: clever, quirky, sculptural, original, and deeply loved.

And to mark ten years of the Puzzle, Loewe is celebrating with Puzzle 10, a limited-edition collection that honours the bag’s evolution and cultural impact. The collection features 19 re-editions of its most beloved variations from the past decade — each one a nod to the creativity and craftsmanship defining Anderson’s time at Loewe. There’s also one brand-new design created especially for the anniversary.

Each bag in the collection reflects the artistry of Loewe’s Spanish atelier and is layered with the brand’s signature sense of play. From appliqué to embroidery, cross-stitch to leather marquetry, they feature designs that are as diverse as they are beautiful — again, beautiful but not necessarily pretty. Some carry poetic inscriptions, others painterly illustrations, and are finished with a commemorative metal plaque and two Loewe balloon charms that mark the milestone. 

More than just a bag, the Loewe Puzzle has become a symbol, of design thinking, of beauty beyond convention, of fashion as something more than fleeting trends. And now a decade in, it’s getting the celebration it truly deserves — even if it’s bittersweet without its former creator. 

The Puzzle 10 will drop in select boutiques from 29 May. Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our latest issue.