The LEXUS LC500 / LC500 Convertible Special Edition “PINNACLE” features Tajima’s embroidery technology.

― Where Precision Meets Emotion Through Japanese Craftsmanship ―
The flagship LEXUS LC now features Tajima’s embroidery technology in its special edition “PINNACLE.” When the automotive precision intersects with the cultural expression of embroidery, it gives rise to new decorative possibilities and a renewed sense of value that points to the future of mobility.

Toyota Motor Corporation
Mr. Yasushi Muto
Chief Engineer, ZL Product Planning, Lexus Management Div.
Ms. Momoko Okamoto
Group Manager, Color & Sensory Design Div. , Vehicle Development Center
Mr. Taisei Kato (joined online)
Color & Sensory Design Div., Vehicle Development Center

Japanese Craftsmanship in Resonance

Since its debut in 2017, the LC has evolved as an icon of the LEXUS brand.
Each special edition serves as a stage for embodying the brand’s philosophy through new challenges.

In “PINNACLE,” LEXUS sought not only driving performance, but also value that speaks to human sensibility through craftsmanship. Embroidery was chosen as one of these new explorations. “This project began from our wish to express Japanese craftsmanship inside the car,” recalls Mr. Muto, who oversaw the development.

The encounter with Tajima took place around 2022. Hearing of “an embroidery manufacturer in Aichi boldly taking on the world,” the LEXUS planning team visited the company. Mr. Muto reflects, “I was deeply impressed by how they confront the world through craftsmanship backed by solid technology.”
The collaboration between LEXUS and Tajima brought forth not a mere decorative accent, but a new form of expression where industry and culture resonate in quiet balance. Within the harmony of precision and sensibility, innovation and tradition, the spirit of Japanese craftsmanship shared by both brands comes alive.

Capturing Time Through Gradient Embroidery

The theme of “PINNACLE” is the harmony of performance and beauty.
Its embroidery motif depicts mountain ridgelines and rays of light filtering through clouds—an image known in Japan as “angel’s ladder.”

Designer Mr. Kato explains: “I wanted to capture a fleeting moment of light in nature, and express it in a form that can be felt inside the car.” Initial prototypes depicted literal landscapes, but through repeated refinement, the design evolved into an abstract, timeless expression.

The stitching angles and reflection of light were carefully calculated so that the appearance subtly shifts depending on the viewing angle and time of day. The embroidery reveals different hues from the driver’s and passenger’s seats, embodying LEXUS’s philosophy of “Time”. Each drive offers a new discovery— an experience that lets you feel time flow gently through the cabin.

The Challenge of Meeting Both Design and Quality

To integrate embroidery into a vehicle interior, beauty alone was not enough. It had to withstand strict automotive standards—vibration at high speeds, temperature variations, and long years of use.

Over a period of about two years from the initial concept, Tajima conducted countless prototyping and testing cycles, experimenting with thread types, stitch directions, and densities. In total, more than seventy samples were produced before reaching the final form. Even slight differences in stitch angle or depth altered the impression, and both teams engaged in countless detailed discussions and adjustments.

“Even when the challenge grew difficult, they seemed to enjoy pushing forward—that spirit built strong trust,” says Mr. Muto.
Tajima’s culture of seeing it through until it’s done resonated deeply with the craftsmanship that LEXUS values.

WE INNOVATE TO PRESERVE. :A Resonance of Philosophy

LEXUS’s philosophy, “WE INNOVATE TO PRESERVE.” finds a natural echo in both the culture of embroidery and the Tajima Group’s vision. Embroidery has colored people’s lives for thousands of years, and Tajima continues to innovate—passing this heritage into the future through technology.

Stepping into the “PINNACLE,” the gradient embroidery softly emerges as light touches its surface. It is not mere decoration; it adds a unique emotional experience that enriches every moment behind the wheel. Ms. Okamoto, Group Manager, Color & Sensory Design Division, Vehicle Development Center, notes, “With embroidery, you can truly feel the time and emotion embedded in the car.”

Though the LC is an exceptionally precise industrial product, the warmth brought by embroidery transforms it—from pure function to experience, from mechanism to emotion.

Made in Japan: Driving the Future with Japanese Craftsmanship

Across the automotive world, the need for personalization continues to grow. Embroidery holds the potential to become a new solution for creating individualized luxury.

A refined interior cannot rely on opulent materials alone. Beyond color, texture, and finish, what is now sought is the design of an experience that appeals to the senses. The inclusion of embroidery in “PINNACLE” embodies precisely that evolution.

When Japan’s proud craftsmanship and philosophy intertwine, mobility becomes a canvas for Japanese craftsmanship and culture. It marks not only an achievement, but also a bold step toward a shared future envisioned by LEXUS and Tajima.

The LEXUS LC500 / LC500 Convertible Special Edition “PINNACLE”

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