The 2025 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize ceremony took place at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid, celebrating excellence in contemporary craftsmanship. Japanese sculptor Kunimasa Aoki was named the winner for his terracotta work “Realm of Living Things 19,” receiving a €50,000 award. Aoki’s anamorphic sculpture explores the tension between control and chaos, using stacked coils of clay compressed under gravity and fired to the brink of collapse.
The jury praised the work for its “honest expression of the ancestral coil process” and the “little universes” that emerge through the raw compression of material. Special mentions went to Nigerian designer Nifemi Marcus-Bello for “TM Bench with Bowl,” a sculptural bench made from recycled aluminum that critiques global trade and consumerism, and India’s Studio Sumakshi Singh for “A Life-Size Reimagination of a 12th-Century Colonnade Column in Delhi,” a column made of copper zari threaded onto water-soluble fabric. The event drew notable guests showcasing Loewe’s luxurious designs.
Kunimasa Aoki wins craft prize
Ayo Edebiri wore a striking Loewe ensemble, while Milena Smit opted for a soft-focus check print look. Aitana Sanchez styled draped denim trousers, and Ellie Bamber chose a minimalist all-black outfit with a red Loewe bag as the focal point.
Lesley Manville paired the playful Loewe Toy pumps with the brand’s iconic Puzzle bag. The 30 shortlisted works, selected by a jury of leading figures in design, are on display at the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum until June 29. The prize, launched in 2016 and championed by designer Jonathan Anderson, continues to provide a platform for extraordinary talent and change the perception of craft internationally.
Sheila Loewe, president of the foundation, expressed her pleasure in seeing the prize transform lives, careers, and build a global community over the past decade. The 2025 Loewe Foundation Craft Prize Ceremony not only celebrated individual achievements but also highlighted the enduring value of craftsmanship in modern design.
