| Raymond Loewy (French/American, Nov. 5, 1893, Paris, France - July 14, 1986,
Monaco) is the most influential industrial
designer of the 20th century, known for his streamlined,
functional designs. A complete list of Loewy's
designs (or those created by his studio) would be nearly impossible, since it ranges in the
thousands. It is unlikely for anyone to never have encountered
one of his designs. Some of his most famous contributions are:
Loewy received a degree in electrical engineering at the University of
Paris, France in 1910), and in advanced engineering at the
École de Lanneau, France in 1918 (his studies were interrupted
by World War I). In 1919, Loewy moved to the U.S. where he worked as a
fashion illustrator for Vogue magazine, and later as a designer for
window displays. In 1929, Loewy started a design company, specialized in
designing many household products, followed by the formation of Raymond
Loewy Associates (1945). This company would become the largest
industrial design firm in the world. As an industrial design consultant,
Loewy would remain active until his eighties.
Loewy is most famous for his "streamlined" designs. Shapes and forms
are clean, highly functional and dynamic, with
smooth rounded edges. Loewy summarized his design philosophy with the
acronym MAYA: most advanced, yet acceptable. Raymond Loewy's influence
on 20th century industrial design is immeasurable. Not surprisingly,
Life Magazine selected Loewy as one of 100 most influential Americans
of the 20th century. | 
