FASHION TO RECONNECT: A Tale of Two Style Capitals

From today to 25 December

Bringing together the fashion capitals of the East and West, featuring 9 Hong Kong-based and 16 Italian designers and brands

FASHION TO RECONNECT Exhibition creates an immersive journey of sustainable aesthetics

Establishing Cultural Bridges: Symposium, Roundtable and Seminars to Discuss East-meets-West Exchange Strategies in Creative Industries

[December 2025] The global fashion extravaganza, FASHION TO RECONNECT: A Tale of Two Style Capitals, organised by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS), City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) with Fondazione Pistoletto Cittadellarte in partnership with Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency as a programme of the Hong Kong Fashion Fest which is presented by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, will be held from today to 25 December 2025. This cultural exchange project is supported by the Consulate General of Italy. 

The exhibition by Fondazione Pistoletto Cittadellarte and curated by Tiziano Guardini will showcase masterpieces by 9 Hong Kong-based and 16 Italian designers and brands reflecting the cultural exchange and resonance between two regions. It will also serve as a platform to recognise designers’ contributions to sustainable fashion worldwide. The FASHION TO RECONNECT project is being activated through 6 Third Paradise art installations reinterpreted by Hong Kong-based artists and collectives and will be further explored through a two-day symposium. 

The large-scale Third Paradise art installations are being unveiled in Hong Kong with the first one having officially debuted on 17 November. During the launch event, the Consul General of Italy expressed his deepest gratitude to all partners, with special words of appreciation to the CCIDA and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences of City University for their commitment to a project that combines art, fashion, and sustainability, reflecting the very best of Italian craftsmanship and tradition. The FASHION TO RECONNECT exhibition will take place at ArtisTree in Taikoo Place from 25 November to 24 December. The exhibition aims to elevate fashion as an artistic medium for driving social change, showcasing the creative processes and works of 9 Hong Kong-based and 16 Italian designers and brands. Through fashion, the exhibition invites visitors to consider humanity’s relationship with nature and encourages them to make conscious choices for a sustainable future.

To promote exchanges between Hong Kong (China) and Italy in the field of sustainability, FASHION TO RECONNECT hosted a symposium, a roundtable, and two seminars under the theme “Sino-Overseas Exchange: The Tale of Two Style Cities.” These events were held at Soho House in Sheung Wan from 27 to 28 November. Among the speakers were Paolo Naldini, General Director of Fondazione Pistoletto Cittadellarte; Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Director of Fondazione Sozzani and International New Talents and Brands Ambassador of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana; and Tiziano Guardini, eco-conscious designer and exhibition curator. Participants explored the challenges and opportunities in sustainable fashion and examined various strategies in eco-conscious design, resource management, cultural preservation, and cross-sectoral collaboration. The discussions highlighted the shared values and distinctive perspectives nurtured within the cultural contexts of Hong Kong (China) and Italy, fostering deeper and more creative interdisciplinary exchange.

Prof. Alfred Tat-kei Ho, Dean of CLASS, CityUHK, and part of the project team expressed his enthusiasm in announcing the project “CLASS is proud to announce this project as it represents a high-impact activity that will engage not only academics and professionals interested in fashion, sustainability, and art, but also the wider public through activations that will contribute to brand Hong Kong as a creative and cultural hub focusing in East Meets West. This is a concrete example of cross-sectorial collaborations that represent the direction for companies to grow and enhance their brand awareness”. 

Prof. Esterina Nervino, Assistant Professor at CityUHK and Project Coordinator of FASHION TO RECONNECT commented: “With my research rooted in luxury, sustainability, and art, I am especially proud of this initiative, which brings together exceptional partners to create cultural experiences that will inspire communities and enliven districts across the city”. 

FASHION TO RECONNECT is a touring exhibition presented by Fondazione Pistoletto Cittadellarte and inspired by the dynamic equilibrium of Michelangelo Pistoletto’s Third Paradise. The exhibition opens with artist Michelangelo Pistoletto’s very own words “In the Third Paradise, nature and humanity interweave into a single breath: in sustainable fashion, that breath becomes freedom, becomes responsibility, becomes ethical beauty.” Imagining garments and fashion objects as artworks, the exhibition seeks to showcase the possibilities of sustainable fashion, as drivers of social change and testaments of beauty. Designers, entrepreneurs, brands, and artists articulate new pathways for reconnecting with nature, where material choices, processes, and a renewed sensibility toward creation become catalysts for a more virtuous evolution of the fashion system. 

Curated by Tiziano Guardini, with contributions from a scientific committee, including Mr. Carmelo Ficarra, Consul General of Italy in Hong Kong, Prof. Alfred Tat-kei Ho, Dorian Ho, Project Consultant, Ms. Sara Sozzani Maino, Ambassador of Camera Nazionale della Moda, Mr. Paolo Naldini, General Director, Fondazione Pistoletto, and the Project Coordinator Prof. Esterina Nervino, the exhibition grows from the encounter between East and West in a city long shaped by cultural exchange. 

The Curator commented: “Each designer and brand featured demonstrates that creating does not merely mean producing, but generating value, respect, and regeneration at every stage of the process. This exhibition is a bridge between Italy and Hong Kong, between past and future, between who we are and who we can become”.

Through this international exchange of ideas, visitors are invited to experience a heightened, nature-rooted fashion. The exhibition stands as one of the flagship initiatives of Cittadellarte Fashion B.E.S.T., the platform created by the artist Michelangelo Pistoletto and late Vogue Italia Editor in Chief Franca Sozzani, that since 2009 has advanced sustainability within the textile and fashion sectors, and forms part of the Fashion to Reconnect: A Tale of Two Style Capitals programme of Fashion Fest.

Bringing Together Hong Kong (China) and Italian Design Power
The FASHION TO RECONNECT Fashion Exhibition Creates an Immersive Journey of Sustainable Aesthetics

The FASHION TO RECONNECT fashion exhibition is being held from 25 November to 24 December at ArtisTree in Taikoo Place. Created by Fondazione Pistoletto Cittadellarte and curated by Tiziano Guardini with exhibition design by GuardiniCiuffredaStudio, it features sustainable fashion pieces from Italy, selected by Fondazione Pistoletto Cittadellarte in partnership with Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. The exhibition showcases the diversity of Italian fashion, featuring 16 established brands, emerging designers and outstanding artisan businesses. For the first time, the exhibition will also include shoes with a curated selection from archives. There will also be a special section highlighting the creative works of 9 Hong Kong-based designers, demonstrating how sustainability is at the core in the Asian context as well. Every piece in the exhibition embodies the 4 core values of FASHION TO RECONNECT: care, transformation, connection and responsibility. This visually stunning event blends sustainable aesthetics with immersive experiences, encouraging attendees to reflect on the potential for harmony between humans and nature. The exhibition aims to inspire conscious choices and a shared commitment to a sustainable future.

Symposium, Roundtable and Seminars 
Discussing Strategies for Cultural Exchange between East and West in the Creative Industries

To foster deeper industry dialogue, FASHION TO RECONNECT hosted a symposium, a roundtable, and two seminars on fashion and art at Soho House in Sheung Wan on 27 and 28 November. Among the speakers were Paolo Naldini, Director of Fondazione Pistoletto Cittadellarte; Sara Sozzani Maino, Creative Director of Fondazione Sozzani and International New Talents and Brands Ambassador of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana; and Tiziano Guardini, eco-conscious designer and exhibition curator. These events brought together scholars, designers, industry leaders, and business representatives from Hong Kong (China), Italy, and around the world. They focused on key topics in sustainable fashion, cultural heritage, and cross-sectoral collaboration. The exchanges highlighted the rich cultural resonance between Hong Kong (China) and Italy, offering pioneering insights into sustainability and the diverse approaches to eco-conscious design, resource management, and cultural preservation adopted in the East and the West. They also helped establish an international platform through which designers from both regions can contribute to the global development of sustainability.

Exploring the 6 Third Paradise Art Installations: A Sustainable Dialogue Through Urban Spaces

From November onwards, 6 art installations based on the theme of Third Paradise will adorn Hong Kong’s cultural landmarks and bustling streets. The entire city will be transformed into an immersive art gallery exploring sustainability, inviting you and other visitors to experience this artistic celebration and capture a sustainable future through your lens.

6 Third Paradise Art Installations

Date: 17 November – 31 December Venue: Sophia Loren House, Wan Chai In Collaboration With: Khalif Yu

Date: 8 -31 December Venue: Arrival Hall A, Hong Kong International Airport In Collaboration With: Vivienne Tam

Date: 20 November – 31 December Venue: Hung Hom Harbourfront Promenade In Collaboration With:  Dorian Ho

Date: 22 November – 19 December Time: 07:30 – 22:30 Venue: “Tunnel of Future Innovations”, City University of Hong Kong In Collaboration With: Zoie Lam

Date: 27 November – 14 December Time: 09:00 – 23:00 Venue: G/F, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui In Collaboration With: Hong Kong Ballet

Third Paradise Flash Mob A Third Paradise-themed flash mob took place in Hong Kong on 18 November at CityUHK. This flash mob presented the complete form of the Third Paradise in a performing arts format, creating a surprise showcase that integrated music, art, and sustainability. The orchestra was directed by Mr. Lorenzo Losco, a Hong Kong-based Italian musician. The flash mob was attended by over 200 members of staff, educators and students from To Middle School, Hoi Ping Chamber of Commerce Primary School, Shamshuipo Kaifong Welfare Association Primary School, the Students’ Development Services and the Professional Final-Year Project of the Department of English at the City University of Hong Kong.

For more information about FASHION TO RECONNECT
http://www.fashiontoreconnecthk.com/.