The Hong Kong Business of Design Week 2025, Asia’s leading design event organized by the Hong Kong Design Center, has just concluded, with a highly acclaimed edition entirely dedicated to Italy.
The opening of the Summit, focused on the theme “Curiosity Provokes Design Innovation,” was held by the Secretary for Culture, Sport, and Tourism, Rosanna Law, and the Ambassador of Italy to China, Massimo Ambrosetti. He underlined the value of Italian design and its ability to combine curiosity and strategic vision, emphasizing that the partnership with the Hong Kong Design Center is an expression of deep cultural friendship in the year that marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The program brought together eighteen Italian speakers representing some of the most respected and authoritative names in the industry, including Ferragamo, 10 Corso Como, EssilorLuxottica, Villari, Editoriale Domus, Buccellati, Moroso, Minotti, Molteni&C, and Pininfarina, highlighting Italy’s ability to turn curiosity into design vision and innovation.
The presentations included Carlo Ratti’s opening keynote speech on the cities of the future, and contributions from Patricia Viel, Michele De Lucchi, Patrizia Moroso, and Andrea Molteni, who addressed topics such as architecture, mobility, emerging technologies, new materials, artificial intelligence, luxury design, and sustainability. Speakers also included Raffaella Paniè, Director of Brand Identity and Look of the Games at the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, who outlined the creative vision for the next Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The new BoDW Future Lab, a co-creation laboratory dedicated to the development of inclusive and sustainable urban scenarios, also attracted many participants. The workshop program was further enriched by a series of cultural initiatives, including two exhibitions promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation: “FABRICa: Italian Textile Style and Innovation,” dedicated to the evolution of the Italian textile industry, and “The Challenge: The Innovation of Italian Design in Sport,” conceived by ADI Museum Milan on sports equipment design.
With nearly fifty initiatives including keynote speeches, forums, and creative dialogues, the event further strengthened Italy’s role as a global reference point in design and Hong Kong’s role as a strategic platform for “East-meets-West” exchange.