INTO: Jonathan Anderson’s Divine New Collection for Loewe

Divine, 1984. Photography by Greg Gorman. ©Greg Gorman. ©Divine Official Enterprises LLC.

Celebrated for being the “filthiest person alive,” Divine has now been immortalized in a new limited collection by the Spanish fashion house Loewe. Jonathan Anderson, Loewe‘s creative director, pays homage to the legendary drag performer’s aesthetic and artistry with three t-shirts and a tote bag.

Christened Divine by John Waters, Harris Glenn Milstead became best known for his roles in Hairspray and Pink Flamingos. But the Baltimore-born performer—an irreverent symbol of  brash, bold wit and in-your-face humor—was also a nightlife fixture and commanded the stage in theatrical productions such as The Neon Woman.

Accompanying the collection is a virtual exhibition of Divine memorabilia and mementos. Originally conceived as a show  at Loewe Madrid boutique for PHotoEspaña, Divine’s iconic white dress, portraits of the icon by Greg Gorman, along with postcards, personal letters, and her Interview cover from 1988, are all on view digitally to enjoy safely from home.

Proceeds from the collection will be donated to Visual Aids, an organization that uses visual arts as a medium to combat AIDS and HIV by hosting exhibitions, preserving artistic legacies, and hosting public events to promote awareness of the cause. Additionally, Anderson announced that Loewe will make a donation to Baltimore Pride, saying, “Firstly, it is the hometown of Divine and the setting for the film Hairspray, but additionally and more importantly, Baltimore Pride is a Black-led LGBTQ+ organization and celebration. We are honored to support their work.”

Loewe’s limited edition Divine collection is available for purchase now on Loewe.com, where you can also view the Divine exhibition until the end of September.

Divine Collection (unproduced), 2020. The Estate of Richard Bernstein / VEGAP, Madrid. Greg Gorman. Divine Official Enterprises LLC. Clay Geerdes.