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The exhibition of a tribute to the history, values and savoir-faire of LOWEVE
The Spanish brand LOWEVE, renowned for its excellence in artisanal leather goods, high-end clothing, perfumes and luxury accessories, has its roots in Madrid in 1846. Founded by Enrique LOWEVE Roessberg, a skilled German merchant who moved to Spain, the brand has always expressed the exceptional craftsmanship of local leather craftsmen, becoming over time a symbol of elegance, quality and innovation.
LOWEVE arrives in Tokyo with an extraordinary exhibition celebrating 179 years of artisanal excellence, following its inaugural debut in Shanghai. The exhibition, entitled “LOEWE Crafted World”, is a tribute to the history, values and savoir-faire of the famous Spanish brand. Set up in the evocative Jing of Harajuku, the beating heart of Tokyo’s creative culture, the exhibition, curated by OMA, will be open from March 29 to May 11, 2025. An immersive journey through craftsmanship, innovation and contemporary vision that tells the world of LOWEVE through installations, iconic materials and a timeless aesthetic.
Courtesy of LVMH
The exhibition, divided into seven rooms, such as “BORN FROM THE HAND”, “WELCOME TO SPAIN”, “THE ATELIER”, “THE CASTLE ROOM”, “UNITED CRAFT”, “FASHION WITHOUT LIMITS”, “ENEXPECTED DIALOGUES”, is distributed over the two floors of the Jing Gallery.
“BORN FROM THE HAND” welcomes visitors into a space with an essential design, clean lines and surfaces covered in light wood. This sober layout is designed to enhance the objects on display, which retrace the history of LOEWE from its origins to the present day. Numerous iconic objects are exhibited in this first room, which introduce the public to the universe of the brand. Among these, some archival pieces from the historic headquarters in Madrid, designed by the Spanish architect Javier Carvajal, stand out. On display we find: the reproduction of the entrance furniture of the LOEWE store on Calle de Serrano, made of green agate stone and metal; the replica of a chair in wood and leather, designed specifically for the store; the famous LOEWE Eiffel bag, belonging to the Great Architects collection (1993), a piece in calfskin that recalls the Parisian tower and uses the traditional Spanish artisan technique of estuchería, or inlaying leather on wood.
Photo @Valentina Cannava
Among the protagonists of the room are also some fascinating hand-painted watercolor tables by the stylist José Pérez de Rozas, active in the Maison from the 1940s to the 1970s. Author of the famous LOEWE windows, he created theatrical sets with a strong visual impact, ranging from floral and animal subjects, to seascapes, circus worlds and scenarios inspired by the Far East and the Americas. His windows were real events eagerly awaited, capable of surprising the public and leaving an indelible mark on the Spanish collective memory as authentic works of art.
Photo @Valentina Cannava
Photo @Valentina Cannava
Dominating the room next is the sculpture Repressed Apple by Irish artist Siobhán Hapaska, made of heterogeneous materials such as aluminum, synthetic snakeskin, fiberglass, two-component acrylic paint and lacquer. The work is part of the LOEWE Art Collection – CASA LOEWE Madrid.
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
In the next room, an impressive sculpture by British artist Anthea Hamilton immediately caught my eye: a giant leather-covered pumpkin. Although it took up most of the space, another installation in particular caught my attention. A box with LOEWE written on it stood on a display stand: the SHOW-IN-A-BOX. Inspired by conceptual artist Marcel Duchamp’s Boîte-en-Valise (Box in a Suitcase, 1935–41), SHOW-IN-A-BOX was conceived by LOEWE creative director Jonathan Anderson during the difficult pandemic of 2020. The box contained an inspiration book, fabric swatches, mannequins, perforated cardboard dresses and even a pattern for a circle top to make at home. The aim was to offer customers a creative experience in an archival box that they could explore and assemble on their own.
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Matteo Belfiore
Photo @Matteo Belfiore
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
“WELCOME TO SPAIN” a small corridor that celebrates the richness of Spanish culture through windows that frame various landscapes. A Galician house with terracotta tiles, beaches, a bohemian marine world and a forest. These scenarios are embellished with bags, raffia accessories and ceramics by prominent artists such as Pablo Picasso.
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Matteo Belfiore
“THE ATELIER”, my favorite room in the entire exhibition, collects and displays the processes and materials that give life to a bag. From the colored leather to the silicone handles - used to test its durability and softness - to the cutouts of each individual component.
Arriving in this space, you discover a section entirely dedicated to the creation process: from the tools used, to the preparation of the materials, to the cutting, coloring and assembly techniques. It is a fascinating world, where artisanal precision and creativity merge to give shape to a unique object.
Entering here means immersing yourself in the heart of the creative process, observing every detail up close and starting to truly understand what makes a bag special. The iconic PUZZLE BAG, one of LOEWE's most emblematic creations, opens the room.
Composed of over 40 leather panels, the PUZZLE BAG owes its name to its innovative structure, which resembles a three-dimensional puzzle. It is a bag that tells a story made of technique, precision and creativity. Born in 2015 from the vision of Jonathan Anderson, it has become the perfect symbol of the encounter between craftsmanship, cutting-edge design and everyday functionality.
Photo @Valentina Cannava
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Valentina Cannava
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
“THE CASTLE ROOM” opens the section dedicated to collaborations inspired by Studio Ghibli classics. A giant bag inspired by “The Moving Castle” welcomes visitors, recalling the surreal and fantastic architecture of the famous magic castle from the film “Howl’s Moving Castle”, a 2004 masterpiece by Hayao Miyazaki.
“UNITED CRAFT” is an exhibition that brings together artisanal projects from all corners of the world – from India to Ecuador, from South Africa to China. For LOEWE, craftsmanship is first and foremost the joy of creating with your own hands. The brand collaborates with international artisans and, through the LOEWE FOUNDATION, promotes and enhances the cultural significance of contemporary craftsmanship, supporting the continuity of ancient knowledge in a modern key.
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
“FASHION WITHOUT LIMITS” presents highlights from Jonathan Anderson’s collections from 2015 to the present, interspersed with artworks from the LOEWE Art Collection. Among the most emblematic are William Turnbull’s bronze sculpture “Idol 4”, Haegue Yang’s textile mobile “The Intermediate - Dangling Hairy Hug” and Zizipho Poswa’s glazed terracotta “Mireille Kamwanya, Congo”.
The “ENEXPECTED DIALOGUES” chapter, with five immersive rooms, closes the LOEWE exhibition by recounting the worlds that have inspired LOEWE’s collaborations over the past decade. From New Mexico in the studio of sculptor Ken Price, to the hidden fairy tales of Japanese ceramist Suna Fujita, from Joe Brainard’s collages that tell the story of New York in the 1970s to Studio Ghibli and its dreamlike universe, to the flower garden inspired by British designer C.F.A. Voysey.
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
Photo @Lamberto Rubino
LOEWE Crafted World is much more than an exhibition: it is an immersive journey into the values that define the identity of the Spanish brand. Craftsmanship, innovation, beauty and experimentation are the foundations of a creative journey that has told a story in continuous evolution for 179 years. Through the LOEWE FOUNDATION, the brand celebrates and supports artists, keeping tradition alive and promoting new visions. This exhibition is a tribute to those who, like LOEWE, believe in the legacy of the past and the power of imagination, without ever ceasing to look forward.
