Zhang Yu JeniZhang13@163.com THE 2026 Shenzhen & Milan Lifestyle Week kicks off Friday at Dalang Fashion Town in Longhua District, bringing together designers, tech firms, buyers, and government delegations from around the world. The three-day event, running through Sunday, is themed “Digital Fashion • Eastern Expression.” It comes as Shenzhen prepares to host the APEC meeting and marks the 56th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Italy. Organizers say this year’s program will feature a joint runway show, a tech-and-culture exhibition, industry forums, factory tours, and citywide activities. The opening night will see Italian brands — including minimalist label Casa Preti, women’s wear line Momoni, and emerging Florentine designer Domenico Orefice — share the runway with domestic brands such as HUI, led by award-winning designer Zhao Huizhou, and luxury down brand RAXXY by designer William Shen. Delegates from Italy, Malaysia, Peru, and other countries and regions are confirmed to attend, according to event organizers. Ten fashion-tech installations will showcase cloud rendering, HarmonyOS-powered smart wearables, and 3D-printed custom clothing. The main exhibition will feature four thematic zones and five narrative chapters. Visitors can view clothing, jewelry, smart accessories, and traditional handcrafts, alongside hands-on stations for loom weaving and other heritage techniques. The lifestyle week launched in 2024 as an inbound event, bringing 20 Italian brands to Shenzhen for 15 joint shows and eight business-matching sessions. It established the city’s first China-Italy fashion showroom and helped 23 Italian labels enter the local market. In 2025, a Shenzhen delegation took the event to Milan Design Week, securing cross-border deals for local brands including Honor, Auratic, and HUI. Organizers say those partnerships boosted related product sales by 20%. The trip also marked the establishment of the Shenzhen (Longhua)-Milan fashion and trade office in Milan. Today, Dalang Fashion Town in Longhua is home to more than 700 fashion companies and over 300 proprietary brands. | 