"Carvajal's work for Loewe stands out as one of the most prosperous unions between architect and company in the 50s and 60s". This is how researcher María Eugenia Josa, from ISEM Fashion Business School, who has defended her doctoral thesis entitled "The architecture of the store: the cases of Javier Carvajal for Loewe", defines the work of architect Javier Carvajal for the firm Loewe.

"Javier Carvajal's work for Loewe meant a change of image for the brand," explained the researcher and stressed that these works "were an ideal field for experimentation and to be able to test the architect's knowledge of interior design."

In addition, the new doctor pointed out that Carvajal's work for Loewe went beyond store design and transcended all aspects of the house: "He went so far as to propose a collection of products to be sold in the stores themselves".

Fashion and Architecture

On the relationship between fashion and architecture, María Eugenia Josa stressed that "just like architecture, fashion is a physical manifestation of the culture of an era" and added: "Both translate an imaginary into a material form and offer it to people".

He also emphasized the general evolution that store design has undergone over the years due to factors such as the proliferation of shopping malls, the transformation of major avenues and concern for sustainability. For Josa, this redesign of the store "increasingly influences the retail model of companies and modifies the relationship between architecture and fashion".

First PhD in Applied Creativity

María Eugenia Josa is an architect specializing in Landscape Architecture from the University of Navarra and holds an Executive Master's Degree in Fashion Business Management from ISEM Fashion Business School. She has taught in the Department of History of Architecture at the School of Architecture and is a professor of 'Creativity' at ISEM, as well as being a member of the organizing committee of the Fashion Summer Course.

The doctoral thesis was supervised by Carlos Naya and María Villanueva of the School of Architecture of the University of Navarra. The defense tribunal was composed of Carlos Labarta, Isabel Cantista, Jorge del Río, José Ángel Medina and Simone Guercini, who awarded the grade of outstanding Cum Laude.

This research is part of the PhD program in Applied Creativity, promoted by the School of Architecture, the School of Communication, ISEM Fashion Business School and the University of Navarra Museum, which aims to promote the study and establishment of creative processes in industries and institutions that require this competence for their activity.