A series of immersive installations have been designed in and around London's Selfridges department store to mark the most recent collaboration between fashion brand Loewe and Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli.
The installations were created to celebrate the third and final collaboration between Loewe and Studio Ghibli, which is a capsule collection informed by the animation house's 2004 feature film Howl's Moving Castle.
One of the installations is located at Selfridges' Corner Shop – a pop-up space that hosts an ever-changing selection of retail experiences.
A large-scale model of the recognisable castle that belongs to the film's title character Howl features in the shop window, complete with spindly legs and jumbo black turrets.
Clusters of cartoon-like clouds were arranged next to mannequins dressed in garments from the collection, which reference various characters from the story, such as in the decorative lining of tweed jackets or as bold embroidery on bags.
Another installation was set within Selfridges' Dolly's Cafe. Loewe and Studio Ghibli created Calcifer's Kitchen, a "culinary experience" named after the fire demon that fuels Howl's castle in the film.
Sitting on rustic-style wooden tables finished with spindly legs, diners can experience a playfully themed version of an English afternoon tea designed by French studio Balbosté.
Bespoke washing-line-style menus form the centrepiece of the tables in a nod to the clothing that trails off the castle on-screen, while food ranges from sandwiches that take cues from meadows and cookies shaped like cartoon characters.
The department store's space within The Old Selfridges Hotel has also been transformed into an exhibition about Loewe and Studio Ghibli's collaboration, which has been renamed The Cloud Room.
Materials and components used to create a Moving Castle-shaped leather bag by Loewe were displayed in an encyclopedic-style format on tables. Visitors can also explore background art from the film by Studio Ghibli.
Finally, an enormous inflatable version of the castle was positioned at Marble Arch close to Selfridges for five days earlier this month.
"Blending hand-drawn and digital animation, Howl's Moving Castle is technically innovative, exemplifying the power of craft as a bridge between the old and new – a creative approach that Loewe is proud to share," said the fashion house's creative director Jonathan Anderson.
"The message is one of uplifting connection. Crafting fantasies to create alternative realities and see the world in a different way."
Last year, Studio Ghibli opened an amusement park in the city of Nagakute, Japan. Loewe also reopened its flagship store in Barcelona after redesigning it as a gallery-like space defined by a winding bamboo installation.
The images are courtesy of Loewe.Â
The installations are on display in London until 25 February 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.