LOEWE has launched its latest project, "Best Hands of Spain," paying homage to Spain's finest artisans. The project will feature handcrafted animals, shawls, footwear, and fans in collaboration with brands that uphold traditional Spanish craftsmanship. The handcrafted animals are produced in LOEWE's own factory in Getafe, Madrid. The idea for the collection came from LOEWE artisans who would fold, fold, and glue scraps of calf leather left over after making bags to create small animals. Additionally, LOEWE has collaborated with Carrera Iglesias, a brand that has collaborated with LOEWE since the 1990s, when the brand began incorporating Spanish ornamentation into its collections. Carrera Iglesias has produced the "Manton de Manila" shawl, which takes two artisans four months to craft, with every step being done by hand, from cutting to embroidery to fringe weaving. The espadrilles, a collaboration with Castaner, a brand that has revived rope soles as fashionable footwear, are available in eight colors for women and four for men. The uppers are made of napa leather, ostrich, and Loewe's signature "oro" suede (available in Japan in napa and suede). The "Spanish Baroque" collection, created by Carbonell, a folding fan brand founded in 1860, features motifs meticulously hand-carved into each ebony rib. The shoes come with a case made of Napa leather, Loewe's signature material. These collaborative items will be the subject of a special exhibition opening in February at Loewe's Gran Via store in Madrid and at Galeria Loewe in Barcelona. The exhibition will then travel to several Asian countries. The pieces will also be displayed in Loewe boutique windows and will be available in store from March.
In addition, various media promotions will be carried out for this project. An image video directed by British photographer Matthew Donaldson shows artisans creating the products using the finest tools, their hands, and the soundtrack is made up of the sounds produced by artisans, machines, tools, etc. In addition, a limited edition book featuring photographs of the craftsmanship process, similar to the video, will be available in the online boutique, and sculptures by Ana Dominguez and Omar Sosa will also be created.
