Chinese craftsmanship takes a modern turn in Milan

A Chinese fashion exhibition exploring how traditional culture and craftsmanship can take new forms in contemporary design opened in Milan on Sept 23 during Milan Fashion Week.

Titled In the Fold: Chinese Fashion in the Making, the exhibition was curated and presented by the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology at Palazzo Morando. It brings together 14 works by 15 designers.

The exhibition takes the "fold" as its central theme, linking garment construction with cultural traditions. Folds give fabric volume and movement while preserving traces of handcraft and bodily movement.

The contemporary transformation of traditional craftsmanship is a key focus. Traditional techniques and cultural elements, including handwoven Sichuan ci bamboo, traditional mortise-and-tenon structures and Tibetan wool textiles, are incorporated into contemporary garments.

During the event, the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology signed a memorandum of understanding and a master's-level academic program cooperation agreement with the Milano Fashion Institute.

The agreements aim to deepen exchanges in fashion education and talent development, creating a new framework for collaboration between the two institutions.

Curator Zou You said the international influence of Chinese fashion stems not only from the depth of original design, but also from the education and research systems that support its continued development.

He said universities should draw new design questions from China's rich history of clothing and textile culture, while responding to technological change and the evolving needs of contemporary life.