OMA has unveiled its latest collaboration with Louis Vuitton as part of the French Pavilion at the upcoming World Expo 2025 in Osaka-Kansai. Designed by OMA Partner Shohei Shigematsu and Project Leader Jesse Catalano, the installation marks the third partnership between the architecture studio and the iconic fashion house, following earlier works in Bangkok and New York, and brings Louis Vuitton’s design legacy into dialogue with the Expo’s theme: A Hymn to Love.
At the heart of the pavilion are two immersive rooms dedicated to Louis Vuitton, conceived to express the duality of tradition and transformation within the brand’s identity. Inspired by Auguste Rodin’s sculptures of the hand, the overall pavilion unfolds in five thematic “odes.” Louis Vuitton’s installation corresponds with “The Cathedral”, a metaphorical hand that unifies craftsmanship and innovation.
The first of the two spaces, referred to as a “library of craft,” pays homage to the brand’s savoir-faire, its storied craftsmanship and material innovation. The room features 84 iconic Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunks stacked from floor to ceiling. Each trunk opens to reveal bespoke interiors that display archival videos of artisans at work, brought to life with an ambient soundscape developed by IRCAM from recordings at Louis Vuitton’s historic Asnières atelier. Warm, lantern-like lighting illuminates the room from within the trunks, creating an atmospheric gradient as visitors move toward the second space.