Loewe Unveils Diverse Finalists for Inaugural Craft Prize

Loewe Unveils Diverse Finalists for Inaugural Craft Prize
Joelle Diderich
PARIS — From a threadbare Norwegian sweater repaired with white yarn to a Japanese bowl made from glass and copper oxide, the inaugural edition of the Loewe Craft Prize spotlights handmade items from across the globe in a celebration of the human touch. The brainchild of Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson, the prize launched by the Loewe Foundation in April 2016 drew close to 4,000 submissions from more than 75 countries. Loewe today announced the 26 finalists, and the winner — to be revealed on April 10 — will walk away with 50,000 euros, or $53,500 at current exchange rates. The list includes entries from as far afield as China, South Korea, Japan, Mexico, Australia, Bangladesh, Argentina, Canada and the U.K.. "I've never done something where I've felt it's so rewarding," Anderson said. "It's been very difficult to edit the people down. We wanted to make sure that we had an incredibly good cross-section of the globe." A collector of everything from ceramics and textiles to silverware and woodwork, the designer said he wanted to launch the prize since joining Loewe in 2013 as part of his vision for the Spanish house, which is controlled by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. "It's this idea that we employ

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