Celine opens temporary exhibition at the Osaka-Kansai World Expo 2025

French luxury fashion house Celine has joined the Osaka-Kansai World Expo 2025 with the debut of Celine Maki-E, a temporary exhibition running through May 11.

Celine opens temporary exhibition at the Osaka-Kansai World Expo 2025. – Celine

The immersive experience celebrates the intersection of Japanese traditional craftsmanship and Celine’s elegance, while honouring the maison’s 55-year legacy in Japan.

At its core is Maki-e, an ancient lacquerware technique in which motifs are delicately painted with gold and silver powders. The practice is inspired by waka poetry and deeply rooted in Japanese heritage.

A highlight of the exhibition is a series of Triomphe-themed lacquer artworks created by Japanese collective Hikoju Makie. These pieces blend symbolism, sustainability, and innovation, underscoring a shared dedication to storytelling through artisanal excellence.

Celine also unveils three exclusive Triomphe bags in red, black, and gold. Each piece is crafted from precious leathers, lined in lambskin, and finished with a plum blossom motif symbolising continuity and longevity. Individually numbered and gold-stamped, these bags embody the fusion of French luxury and Japanese heritage.

The exhibition further explores this cultural dialogue through two short films by visual artist Soshi Nakamura. Hands at Work spotlights the craftsmanship of both Hikoju Makie and Celine, filmed in Kanazawa, Japan and Radda in Chianti, Italy. Meanwhile, Ten Landscapes of Dreams, displayed in a mirrored room facing a giant LED screen, presents a poetic journey of the Triomphe symbol through dreamlike Japanese landscapes.

As part of LVMH’s gold partnership with the Expo, Celine joins fellow maisons Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chaumet, and Moët Hennessy in representing France under the unifying Pavilion theme: “a hymn to Love.”