From Single-Point Breakthrough to Ecosystem Collaboration: Shenzhen’s Fashion Industry Powers Global Expansion

MILAN, Italy, April 9 (Local Time) — At 6:00 PM on April 9, the architectural complex of San Vittore Church in Milan shimmered with star-studded glamour. As a special tribute to the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Italy, the opening ceremony and brand exchange event of the “Boundless Artistic Charm: Shenzhen-Milan Cultural Design Show” for the 2025 Shenzhen (Longhua) · Milan Dual-City Fashion Week officially commenced. Over 150 artists, designers, entrepreneurs, and media representatives from around the world gathered to witness this cultural feast blending Shenzhen’s intelligent manufacturing with Western aesthetics.

The event kicked off with a groundbreaking catwalk by the Chinese fashion brand HUI, featuring the Leju “Kuafu” robot. With light, rhythmic steps, the robot interacted seamlessly with traditional Chinese embroiderers, merging cutting-edge technology with fashion artistry and instantly electrifying the audience.

Barbara Mazzali, Lombardy Regional Councilor for Tourism, Fashion, Design, and Territorial Marketing, remarked in her speech that collaboration with Shenzhen was a natural progression. “This marks the second year of the Shenzhen-Milan Dual-City Fashion Week. Last year, at Shenzhen’s gracious invitation, we brought Italian fashion to China, showcasing Italy’s creativity and allure. This year, during Milan Design Week, we welcome Shenzhen. This initiative not only builds a bridge between our cities but also opens a vital gateway to global integration,” she said.

Huang Limin, Member of the Standing Committee of the Longhua District Committee of Shenzhen, emphasized in her address: “In the modern fashion industry, Shenzhen is leveraging its technological innovation to ascend from ‘Made in China’ to ‘Designed in China’ and ‘Global Fashion,’ striving to become a world-class fashion hub.”

A highlight of the ceremony was the unveiling of the Shenzhen (Longhua)-Milan Fashion Economic and Trade Cooperation Office. Serving as a frontline platform for cross-border collaboration, this office will provide Shenzhen enterprises with international brand incubation, intellectual property protection, and other critical services. By harnessing Milan’s global fashion influence, it aims to empower Chinese brands to integrate into the international fashion supply chain with precision, accelerating the transformation from “Shenzhen 智造” (Shenzhen Innovation) to world-class brands.

Following the opening ceremony, guests toured the “Boundless Artistic Charm” exhibition under the guidance of curator Giacomo Santucci, Zhao Huizhou (Founder and Chief Designer of EACHWAY Fashion Group), and Feng Changhong (President of Shenzhen Industrial Design Association). The exhibition juxtaposed Renaissance-era artworks with Shenzhen’s cutting-edge innovations—including DaMo Da V4 swarm performance drones, AI-powered LOHO & Shanji Paipaijing A1 glasses, the K5 smart micro-projector, photon-transparent TVs, and Royal Feng Porcelain’s “Purple Rhyme” series—creating a dialogue between East and West, tradition and futurism.

Curator Giacomo Santucci explained: “Inspired by the mythological tales of Prometheus (Western fire god) and Zhurong (Chinese fire god), this exhibition invites visitors to experience the fusion of ideas and knowledge through emotion, fostering mutual understanding for a shared future.”

Onsite, over a hundred Shenzhen-made intelligent creations drew crowds, transforming the event into not just a visual spectacle but a catalyst for global fashion innovation. Angelo Argento, President of the Italian Cultural Association, reflected after watching the “Kuafu” robot’s performance: “The synergy between robots, embroiderers, and silk threads symbolizes a meeting of Italy and China. This exhibition builds a bridge between our nations—one of cultural exchange and industrial collaboration.”

Shenzhen continues to lead in shaping a globally influential fashion industry. In October 2024, VOGUE Business China’s New Fashion Capitals Index Report ranked Shenzhen first on its list of China’s “new fashion cities.” As a key fashion cluster in Shenzhen, Longhua District is pioneering a “technology + fashion + intangible cultural heritage” ecosystem, shifting from traditional product exports to innovative ecosystem-driven globalization—a model that redefines Shenzhen’s role in the global fashion landscape.

The newly established Shenzhen (Longhua)-Milan Fashion Economic and Trade Cooperation Office will serve over 100 fashion, tech, and cultural enterprises from both cities, offering end-to-end services in design R&D, brand incubation, and market promotion. Additionally, the launch of the Dual-City Fashion Week’s global website creates a permanent digital platform for investment matchmaking, securing Longhua’s position in the global fashion value chain.

Coinciding with the 55th anniversary of China-Italy diplomatic ties, the opening ceremony marks a milestone in Shenzhen’s fashion globalization journey. Running through April 14, the event will host forums like “Fashion & Tradition: Dual-City Cultural Sharing” and “Design Odyssey: Industry–Innovation Integration,” fostering direct collaboration and deeper industrial synergies between the two fashion capitals.

“Shenzhen aims to evolve from ‘going global’ to ‘integrating globally,’” the event’s organizers stated. “By blending cultural heritage with technological innovation, we aspire to make ‘Shenzhen Design’ and ‘Chinese Ingenuity’ synonymous with global fashion excellence.”