Loewe Taps Chinese Master Jade Carvers for Lunar New Year Collection
To celebrate Lunar New Year, which lands on Feb. 10, Loewe has tapped three Chinese master jade carvers to create a pendant series that highlights the rare craft of jade sculpting.
Xiaojin Yin, a carver specializing in flora and fauna, created a pendant in emerald green that depicts a cricket perched atop a cabbage, or bok choy, a symbol of wealth and abundance.
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Carver Qijing Qiu created an eggplant-shaped pendant in light mauve, which resembles a “hat-wearing high-ranking official,” symbolizing status and success.
Lei Cheng, one of the few female carvers working in the space, created a spring jade pendant featuring a tiny snail atop a pea pod, symbolizing fertility, abundance, and luck.
“I believe that jade itself is a quintessential part of our nation. Its constant presence throughout our history and cultural journey makes it not just a companion, but also a spiritual anchor for our people,” said Cheng in the behind-the-scenes video.
A look at the carving process.
The unique pendants, which are said to be priced at around 100,000 renminbi, or $14,061, per piece, will be available at Casa Loewe concept stores in Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu.
The limited-edition pendants are part of the 2024 Lunar New Year’s Jade Collection, which also includes the Flamenco Purse Mini in six shades of jade-like hues, including Emerald Green, Dark Brick, Spring Jade, Sugar Yellow, Dark Khaki and Light Mauve, all of which sampled iconic pieces from The Palace Museum, better known as The Forbidden City. Each bag comes with a small keepsake of a jade ring fastened by a leather drawstring.
To complete the collection, keychains that loop in legendary creatures in Chinese mythology — including the frog, the pig, the elephant and the dragon, all of which signify good fortune — amplify the power of cute. The keychain retails for 2,900 renminbi, or $407, each.
The Jade Collection launched online and in stores on Thursday.
A campaign lensed by David Sims and fronted by Chinese actress Yang Mi, Loewe’s newly appointed global brand ambassador, was unveiled simultaneously.
To offer a closer read of the collection, the label plans to host a three-part Casa Conversation series in Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu. Key figures from the project, including the three master carvers, artists, historians and cultural influencers, will engage in conversation about jade culture.
Loewe first began its exploration of Chinese craftsmanship with its spring 2023 handbag collection inspired by Chinese monochrome ceramics.
The label worked with T Magazine China on a documentary featuring Chinese ceramic artists Deng Xiping, British ceramicist Natasha Daintry, and researcher Wang Guangyao.
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