Daily Inspiration: Raymond Loewy’s Pride in His Work
"I waited for the S-1 to pass through at full speed. I stood on the platform and saw it coming from the distance at 120 miles per hour. It flashed by me like a steel thunderbolt, the ground shaking under me, in a blast of air that almost sucked me into its whirlwind. Approximately a million pounds of locomotive were crashing through near me. I felt shaken and overwhelmed by an unforgettable feeling of power, by a sense of pride at what I had helped to create. I had, after all, contributed something to a great nation that had taken me in and that I loved so deeply. And I had come a long, happy way myself from my start in fashion advertising. I had found my way of life."
You’ve probably seen a Raymond Loewy design without even realizing it. He designed the logos for Shell, Greyhound buses, and Coca Cola vending machines. He was a design rockstar during his lifetime, and enjoyed a truckload of fame for bringing industrial design into the limelight in post-war USA. Raymond Loewy was a passionate guy, he was famous for making things like ovens and steam locomotives, and was deeply moved by his creations. In these two quotes, his investment for his rail designs shine through in all their enigmatic and eccentric ways.
"Standing somewhere between New York and Philadelphia, I don't know where, and seeing that engine come at high speed, shaking the ground. It was a thrill, unforgettable. There are great the great moments in a man's life..."
"INCOMING" by Rob Toombs
