Maggie Smith’s Loewe Campaign Is What Fashion Fans Needed

Few things are better than an unexpected casting choice. Think: Joan Didion’s turn as a Celine model, or Willem Dafoe walking for Prada’s fall 2012 men’s show. This week, Loewe debuted its new spring 2024 pre-collection campaign – and 88-year-old actor Maggie Smith stars at the centre of it. Alongside fashion fixtures such as Greta Lee, Josh O’Connor, and Taeyong, Smith proved to be the most refreshing cameo of all – because, let’s face it, did you really ever expect to see Professor McGonagall carrying a Puzzle bag?

Smith – who’s known for her legendary roles in the Harry Potter franchise and Downton Abbey, among others – wears thee distinctive looks, both photographed by Juergen Teller. In one, she sports a giant fuzzy coat with Loewe’s signature Puzzle bag. In another, she dons a white and black turtleneck dress with a ruffled skirt, holding the label’s Paseo bag. Fashion fans were instantly obsessed with her fabulous modelling skills. “Maggie Smith for Loewe is everything I never knew I needed,” wrote one user on X, formerly known as Twitter.

It’s not the first time a major fashion brand has cast a surprising figure in a campaign. Smith’s photos instantly drew comparisons to Didion’s 2015 ads for Celine, in which the iconic American writer sported the label’s giant sunglasses and sleek black turtleneck. “Maggie Smith for Loewe is Phoebe Philo Céline Joan Didion coded,” wrote another X user. Pamela Anderson also made internet waves last year, when she starred in a Jacquemus holiday campaign – marking the beginning of her fashion (and career) renaissance. There’s something especially imaginative about Smith’s high-fashion world, though. It goes to show that great style – and killer posing skills – are ageless.