Style Edit: Cartier’s Women’s Pavilion for Expo 2025 in Osaka, designed by Japanese architect Yuko Nagayama and English artist Es Devlin, is a call to action for global gender equality

If there’s one place to be in 2025, it’s Expo 2025 in Osaka, running from April 13 to October 13, where Cartier is making a statement with the Women’s Pavilion. More than an exhibition, it’s a conversation – a space where stories, ideas, and actions converge to spotlight the role of women in shaping a better future.

Cartier has long championed the belief that when women thrive, the world thrives. That ethos fuels the Women’s Pavilion, which first made waves at Expo 2020 in Dubai and now returns to Osaka with even greater purpose. With a nod to the expo’s theme, the pavilion embraces the motto “Living Together, Designing Together, For the Future”, celebrating the power of women to drive meaningful change.

Designed by Japanese architect Yuko Nagayama, the pavilion’s facade is inspired by ancient kumiko patterns, symbolising sustainability and craftsmanship. Step inside, and the experience becomes an immersive journey as imagined by British artist Es Devlin. Through evocative and interactive installations, visitors are invited to engage with real-life stories, and participate in the global dialogue on gender equality. As a gesture of solidarity, guests can put their names to the pavilion’s narrative, making themselves part of a movement intended to well extend beyond the event.

Nature plays a vital role in shaping the experience, with landscape designer Toshiya Ogino curating a garden that will evolve with Japan’s changing seasons. This lush, living installation reinforces the pavilion’s commitment to harmony between people, progress and the environment. That leads also to another intended legacy with the replanting of the installation’s locally sourced trees in Osaka’s mountains to contribute to a spirit of renewal and responsibility.

Fashion, too, has its place in the story, with renowned designer Chitose Abe crafting gender-inclusive uniforms for the pavilion’s attendants. Merging tradition with modernity, Abe’s designs embody the pavilion’s inclusive and forward-thinking ethos.

Art is at the heart of the pavilion, with contributions from visionaries like Naomi Kawase, Mélanie Laurent, Hiro Chiba and Mariko Mori, spanning film, sculpture, digital art and photography. Beyond the visual, the WA Space is a hub where thought leaders, activists and innovators can discuss the issues that matter – from climate action, to the future of business and technology.