Lemaire’s traveling exhibition “Wearable Sculptures,” showcasing the work of Chilean artist and artisan Carlos Peñafiel, will run April 3–30, 2026, at the brand’s Wukang Road flagship store in Shanghai’s Xuhui District.
Peñafiel, who has collaborated with Lemaire for over a decade, has designed three accessory pieces for the brand: the Carlos bag, the Egg bag, and the Naho bag. The exhibition will also feature a limited series of small symbolic handbags in forms such as busts, shells, and castanets.
Born in Chile in 1949, Peñafiel began his career in Brazil before moving to Paris in the mid-1970s. He is a member of the Maison des Métiers d’Art Français. His signature technique involves molding leather over wooden structures. Notable works include surrealist “toe shoes” for Pierre Cardin in 1985 and sculptural bags created for Lemaire’s Fall 2014 runway show.
The exhibition previously appeared at Lemaire’s Paris flagship store, followed by stops in Seoul and Tokyo. A monograph on Peñafiel, published by Éditions Siegelbaum-Tran, is available at Lemaire stores and selected bookstores in China.
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