Submissions for the prestigious art competition have opened, celebrating the brand's legacy of artisanal craftsmanship. Artists and artisans are called share their creative vision.
South Korean ceramic artist Jongjin Park was awarded the Loewe Foundation 2026 Craft Prize for his work in paper and porcelain slip named "Strata of Illusion."
The Loewe Craft Prize is a platform for artistic vision to come to fruition, as seen in these pieces by 2026 finalists (from L to R) Jobe Burns, Oskar Gustafsson, Vivi Rosa, and Chia-Chen Hsieh (foreground).
Photo from Loewe
In 1846, the work of a group of artisans in Madrid, Spain would create exquisite leather goods that would mark the beginning of luxury fashion house Loewe. In the 180 years since, their designs and bags have become coveted by the fashionable set all over the world.
In 2025, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez joined the house as creative directors, exploring an intellectual and playful approach to fashion, without losing their focus on expert craftsmanship.
These humble beginnings as an artisanal workshop, and the legacy they have built would become the inspiration for the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize. First launched in 2016, the prize celebrates excellence and innovation in craft in all its forms, elevating craft work to new levels of global and institutional recognition.
The competition also aims to nurture techniques and traditions that are at risk of disappearing as the world moves faster forward into the digital age. "Over this past decade, the Craft Prize has become a platform for an ever-growing community of artists and artisans around the globe, showcasing work that inspires new ways of thinking about craft and its place in contemporary culture," says Sheila Loewe, president of the Loewe Foundation. "Year on year, the prize has affirmed the infinite possibilities of craft and its capacity to evolve and surprise us."
The foundation also announced that submissions are now open for the tenth edition of the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, which is open to all artisans working in craft-based professions - textiles, bookbinding, ceramics, jewelry, lacquer, and paper, and other craft practices. Entries can be submitted at loewecraftprize.com until October 15, 2026. "I greatly look forward to discovering the remarkable ideas, perspectives, and works this edition will bring," says Loewe.
Shortlisted works will be featured in an exhibit in Europe in Spring of 2027. A jury of artists, designers, and tastemakers, which includes the likes of mixed media artist Ibrahim Mahama; 2026 Craft Prize winner Jongjin Park, and LOEWE creative directors Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, will pick a winner from among the entries. The winning piece will receive 50,000 euros, while two special mentions will each receive 5,000 euros.
The 2026 competition received over 5,100 submissions from 133 countries and regions worldwide. South Korean ceramic artist won the top prize for his entry Strata Of Illusion. A special mention awarded was given to Graziano Visintin for his work, Collier - two necklaces composed of tiny cubes made of thin sheets of gold and decorated with the metalworking technique niello.
The second special mention went to Baba Tree Master Weavers (Mary Anaba, Charity Aveamah Atuah, Christiana Anaba Akolpoka, Asakiloro Aduko, Mary Ayinbogra, Teni Ayine, Subolo Ayine and Punka Joe) × Álvaro Catalán de Ocón for Frafra Tapestry, crafted in natural and dyed elephant grass.
All shortlisted works featured in the 2026 edition of the prize can be viewed on loewe.com.
