Marquetry in Leather

The innovative project updates existing forms of craft in an elaborate process informed by methods used in traditional bookbinding and woodworking. While most of the patterns recreated in leather were taken from silk prints found in Loewe’s archives, a recurrent carp motif was adapted from a set of centuries-old Japanese wood screens Anderson found in Hong Kong and has used in previous Loewe collections.

Every source motif has been reworked, either magnified or abstracted, for a contemporary appearance, and different types of leather were used to produce a painterly effect with varying textures and contrasting sections. Reconfiguring codes of craftsmanship past and present to set a new creative standard for the future, Loewe’s latest project reflects the experimental spirit that has driven the 170-year-old house from the start.

Its contribution to Salone 2016 continues the brand’s mission to push the expressive and technical capabilities of leather and transfer the knowledge of the house to new fields and uncharted frontiers. Showcasing the creative and technical ingenuity that keeps the house at the forefront of leather innovation and modern craft, the project applies one of its areas of expertise —the elaborate art of marquetry— to a new medium, thereby updating an existing technique for today.

As a part of the project, the house’s novel technique was also employed on leather notebooks and T Pouches, which are available to purchase.