Loewe to organize art-focused exhibition in Shanghai

Loewe will present its first major exhibition, Crafted World, in Shanghai this spring, an unprecedented celebration of the Madrid house's Spanish heritage and culture.

Crafted World will be held at the Shanghai Exhibition Center. It is a 45-day exhibition that opens on March 22 and closes on May 5, before traveling around the world.

“Crafted World, a celebration of the house's rich history, Spanish heritage and commitment to the handmade, offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of Loewe,” the LVMH-owned house explained in a statement. .

Crafted World will be curated by Loewe's multitasking creative director, Jonathan Anderson.

“Filled with art and culture, this historic exhibition takes audiences on a journey through the iconic designs and cultural collaborations that have illuminated the brand's evolution from its founding as a collective of leather makers in Madrid in 1846 to becoming one of the leading luxury companies in the world. fashion houses,” added the Spanish brand.

It spans 178 years of creativity and innovation, from Loewe's appointment as official supplier to the Spanish Royal Crown to its acquisition by LVMH. And among them the creation of the Loewe Foundation in the 20th century; the opening of the first Loewe store in China in 2001, Anderson's rejuvenation of the house and the founding of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in the last decade.

The exhibition will also mark the latest step in Northern Ireland-born Anderson's long-term strategy to make Loewe as much an institution and cultural movement as a luxury fashion brand.

Crafted World promises to be an interactive journey through time, space, materials and creation techniques, taking place across 1,600 square meters of space and featuring artefacts and works of art.

Under Anderson's leadership, Loewe shows are often artistic spectacles with installations by featured artists. In particular, its most recent menswear show in January, which featured a mock cathedral gallery with Gothic-style “windows” displaying images of fashion icons, brand ambassadors, soft-core porn and works of art. master graphic artist Richard Hawkins.

Crafted World is designed to transport its audience to the sights and sounds of Spain, the front row of the Paris runway, and “the visionary imaginations” that have inspired Loewe's recent collections.

A story dedicated to the joy of making things by hand and a community of artisans and collaborators from around the world: Indian ribbon makers; Ecuadorian upholsterers; South African basket makers and Chinese bamboo weavers.

The exhibition will be open to the public and admission is free.