Loewe’s Spanish heritage and penchant for contemporary art are on display in the brand’s first immersive exhibition in a “celebration of craft.”
Since 2013, creative director Jonathan Anderson has challenged the bounds between fine art and fashion. Loewe’s first-ever public exhibition is no exception. The exciting Shanghai exhibit showcases iconic looks from the brand’s heritage alongside classic works of art and modern pieces.
Installation view of “Crafted World,” courtesy of LOEWE.
Jonathan Anderson Curates “Crafted World”
Anderson curated the exhibition, “Crafted World,” on view through May 5. Now open, it includes 69 looks from the men’s and women’s collections as well as items from the Loewe Art Collection—showing everything from ceramics to furniture to sculpture. The show is an “homage to all the craftspeople around the world” and a celebration of the fashion house’s rich history.
From its founding as a leather-making collective in the 19th century to the official supplier of the Spanish Royal Family to its current flourishing under Anderson’s helm. The exhibit is a kaleidoscopic collage that pairs works by Picasso alongside Qing and Ming Dynasty ceramics and Ecuadorian tapestry. The effect is an explosive culmination of fashion-as-art throughout history, via Anderson’s lens.
Installation view of “Crafted World,” courtesy of LOEWE.
“Craft is the essence of LOEWE,” — Jonathan Anderson
“Craft is the essence of LOEWE. As a house we are about craft in the purest sense of the word. This is our where our modernity lies, and it will always be relevant,” Jonathan Anderson has said.
The brand’s history is celebrated in six chapters: Born from the Hand, Welcome to Spain, The Atelier, Fashion Without Limits, United in Craft, and Unexpected Dialogues. The immersive vignettes include a hall of mirrors, miniature exhibits for children to interact with, and a Studio Ghibli retrospective. William Morris, Álvaro Leiro, Stephen Meisel, and Tyler Mitchell rank among the featured artists. The space also includes a “pronunciation tunnel,” wherein the voices of actresses Jodie Comer and Yang Mi echo the correct way to say Lo-Weh-Vay.
Installation view of “Crafted World,” courtesy of LOEWE.
“Crafted World” was designed in collaboration with OMA, led by architects Ellen van Loon and Giulio Margheri alongside Loewe. The exhibit runs from today through May 5 in Shanghai before beginning its international tour. The Shanghai exhibition is free and open to the public.
Installation view of “Crafted World,” courtesy of LOEWE.
Installation view of “Crafted World,” courtesy of LOEWE.
Installation view of “Crafted World,” courtesy of LOEWE.
What is special about Loewe?
Culture is at the core of LOEWE’s DNA, exemplified by a longstanding commitment to creativity in all forms and disciplines. Reflecting fashion’s vital link to contemporary life, a strong emphasis on art, design and craftsmanship has been a cornerstone of creative director Jonathan Anderson’s rebuilding of the brand, one of the world’s oldest luxury houses. Since Anderson’s appointment in 2013, LOEWE has initiated a series of collaborations with artists and artisans who reinterpret and expand the brand’s values. Aside from showcasing the many facets of LOEWE, these cultural projects reflect the transfer of knowledge and the cooperative spirit that have been characteristic of LOEWE since it was founded as a collective of leathermakers in 1846. — Source
Who is Jonathan Anderson?
Jonathan Anderson is one of the leading designers of his generation, earning both critical acclaim and commercial success with the collections he designs for his eponymous label, JW Anderson, and as creative director of LOEWE.
Anderson attended the London College of Fashion and launched his first Menswear collection in 2008 under the newly created JW Anderson label. In 2010, he expanded into Womenswear and in 2013, after LVMH took a minority stake in his brand, he was named the creative director of LOEWE. Two years later, he made history when he became the first individual to be awarded both Womenswear and Menswear Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. In 2018, he was appointed to LOEWE’s Board of Directors.
Outside the world of fashion, Anderson is a dedicated supporter of art and craft. In 2016, he founded the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize, the world´s first international award for contemporary craft, and in 2017, he curated Disobedient Bodies, an exhibition at The Hepworth Wakefield in England. — Source
