Another ‘Tomato Girl’ Summer? Jonathan Anderson and a Viral Heirloom Say So

Last week, a beautiful, plump heirloom tomato went viral on social media. Sure, it looked delicious (perfect for a little summer salad), but all the attention was coming from a different, more fashionable place. “This tomato is Loewe I can't explain it,” Connor Downey wrote in a repost. And it's true. The perfectly ridged tomato resembled the kooky yet structural silhouettes Loewe is known for.

There's also the fact that the Spanish brand hasn't shied away from the fruit in recent years. Its tomato leaves scent, which comes in an array of coveted candles as well as bar soaps and even room scents, has a cult following of its own. Though uncredited, the tomato inspiration has also seemingly seeped into its main clothing line, both in shape and color. There's this dress that Greta Lee wore to the Academy Museum Gala last year and this one that Emily Ratajkowski wore to the Spring 2024 show.

Soon after the post started gaining attention, the brand's creative director, Jonathan Anderson, hopped in on the fun, reposting it and then sharing a Loewe bag that was, you guessed it, a tomato. According to Washington Post fashion reporter, Rachel Tashjian Wise, the bag was already produced. “Apparently this is not record meme-to-reality timing: Jonathan told me ‘we had already made it for next season lol,’” she wrote. (Unsurprising, of course, as the designer constantly makes accessories out of random objects and animals. See the pigeon purse or the nail polish shoes).

Notably, tomatoes as a fashion trend is nothing new. Last year, the “tomato girl aesthetic” was everywhere, with people donning looks fit for the French Riviera that featured shades of red. In the moment, it seemed like just another passing aesthetic, something soon to be swallowed up and spit out by our constantly churning trend cycle. Maybe, though, another season of the tomato is a sign that not every trend has to be a trend you buy into right away. Surely, a color can be popular two, three, even four summers in a row, and you can opt in when you want, not when the algorithm tells you to. So please continue to eat, wear, and live the tomato girl lifestyle until the end of time.