Raymond Loewy, renowned industrial designer, made his mark with logos

Raymond Loewy, the renowned industrial designer who was instrumental in creating the Coca-Cola bottle and Studebaker automobiles, received a Google tribute Tuesday, the 120th anniversary of his birth.

The French-born Loewy was one of the key industrial designers of the 20th century, working with numerous companies to create products and logos that would enter the public consciousness.

Among his most recognizable designs were the Shell logo, the Lucky Strike cigarette package and the Greyhound bus. His firm even helped to create the name “Exxon” for Standard Oil.

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Perhaps his most fruitful collaboration was with Studebaker, with whom he worked from 1936 to 1963. His designs emphasized lightness and velocity, contrary to the prevailing American preference at the time for big gas guzzlers.

His most famous design for the car company was the Avanti model.

Not many industrial designers create work that is appreciated by the art world, and Loewy had a tough time gaining the respect of cultural gatekeepers.

A U.S. museum dedicated to Loewy has been in the works for several years, with Loewy’s estate raising money for the project.

Loewy, who became a U.S. citizen, died in 1986 in Monaco where he had lived in the later part of his life.

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