LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton announced recently that the group and five of its maisons will participate in The Osaka-Kansai World Expo in Japan, which will take place at Osaka Bay from April 13 to Oct. 13.
LVMH, alongside the French insurer AXA Group, cosmetics manufacturer Ninapharm, and the Vins d’Alsace winegrowers’ association, will be the sponsors of the pavilion.
Themed “A Hymn to Love,” which was named after the same Édith Piaf song that Celine Dion sang at the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony, this year’s French Pavilion comes with a surface of 5,400 square meters and was designed by architecture firms Coldefy & Associés Architectes Urbanistes and CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati.
With undulating walls that resemble stage curtains and a rooftop garden, the architectural marvel is meant to be an ode to the love of oneself, love of others, and love of nature, according to the organizer.
The French Pavilion.
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On Tuesday, a launch event was hosted by the French exhibition company Cofrex at the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine in Paris and attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, the Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Nationals Abroad Laurent Saint-Martin, Minister of Culture Rachida Dati and Japanese Ambassador France Makita Shimokawa.
Japanese ambassador in France Makita Shimokawa, France’s Minister of Culture Rachida Dati, French athlete Teddy Riner, French actress Sophie Marceau, French rugby player Antoine Dupont, French President Emmanuel Macron his wife Brigitte Macron and General Commissioner of the French Pavilion, Jacques Maire pose at a Paris press conference.
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A highlight of the conference included the introduction of the French Pavilion’s four ambassadors, including film stars Sophie Marceau and Léa Seydoux, rugby player Antoine Dupont, and judo athlete Teddy Riner. According to the organizer, the ambassadors will represent France during key celebratory moments at the pavilion.
Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of the LVMH Group, said that the partnership with the French Pavilion is aligned with the group’s ambition to pursue “Savoir Faire Rêver,” or “The Art Of Crafting Dreams.”
“Japan holds a special place in the heart of the LVMH Group. For decades, we have together celebrated a love of heritage and nature through the dialogue of cultures and respect for local identities,” Arnault added.
LVMH entered the Japanese market in the late 1970s and is now one of the country’s leading private-sector French employers, according to the luxury group. LVMH counts more 14,000 employees and a network of 1,000 stores in the island nation.
LVMH star brands, including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Celine, Chaumet and Moët Hennessy, will be showcased in both the permanent and temporary exhibition spaces at the Expo.
Louis Vuitton and Dior, LVMH’s flagship luxury brands, will host two spaces in the heart of the permanent exhibition, which is projected to welcome almost three million guests during the 184-day festival.
Louis Vuitton will bring its legacy of craftsmanship to life with an exhibition designed in collaboration with Japanese architect Shohei Shigematsu of OMA. The immersive experience will take visitors through the history of the brand with a “library” of 85 trunks, soundtracked by the French acoustic science research institute IRCAM, and a second room that transports guests into a dreamlike world with a video installation by Japanese artist Daito Manabe.
The Dior exhibit, designed by scenographer Nathalie Crinière, will honor the brand’s love of craftsmanship and deep cultural ties to Japan. The visual feast starts with three variations of Dior’s iconic Bar jacket in blue, white, and red, and continues with a monumental installation of Dior’s couture toiles and perfume bottles, this time reimagined in 3D prints.
Dior’s iconic Bar jacket in blue, white, and red will greet guests at the French Pavilion.
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Additional works commissioned by Dior include objects created by the designer Tokujin Yoshioka and photographs by Yuriko Takagi.
Further marking Dior’s ties with Japan, Dior will showcase its first-ever Kyoto runway show — featuring Maria Grazia Chiuri’s pre-fall 2025 collection — on April 15, which will be unveiled at the ancient To-ji Temple and Gardens.
Over at the temporary exhibition space, Celine and Chaumet are to explore the intersection of French luxury and Japanese artistry.
Celine will look into traditional Japanese lacquer techniques, or urushi, and feature works by visual artists Soshi Nakamura and Hikoju Maki-e. The space will also feature an exclusive leather goods piece. At Chaumet, visitors will be guided through a sensory experience that highlights its emblematic honeycomb motif.
As the hospitality partner of the pavilion, Moët Hennessy will highlight a selection of wines and Champagnes on the bistro menu and during special pavilion events.
Inside the pavilion bistro.
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