On the afternoon of 1 July 2026, the China Cultural Center in The Hague welcomed guests from across the cultural and creative sectors for the grand opening of the "Silk Road Fine Garments: Fashion, Technology and Art Exhibition." The exhibition is jointly organized by the Center for Cultural and Tourism Exchange between China and Foreign Countries, the China Cultural Center in The Hague, and the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA). More than 60 guests, including Yu Jian, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands; Wang Xiaolin, Vice Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee of CAFA (via video message); renowned Dutch fashion curator Karin van Paassen; Hélène Pichon, Director of Alliance Française de La Haye; Ed van der Feer, former Secretary General of the Netherlands-China Association; Lan Louwe-Wang, Executive Board Member of the Association; as well as fashion designers and artists from across the Netherlands, gathered to celebrate this exhibition, where tradition meets the future and East meets West.

In her video address, Wang Xiaolin noted that fashion has never been merely a means of clothing the body; rather, it is a unique language that embodies materials, craftsmanship, aesthetics, and cultural identity. Taking "Cloud Garments" as its contemporary artistic vision, the exhibition brings the Silk Road's spirit of openness, inclusiveness, mutual learning, and cultural exchange into dialogue with cloud computing, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and wearable technologies of the digital age.

Bringing together outstanding works by established artists and emerging designers from China, the exhibition explores fashion through multiple dimensions, including materials, structure, bodily expression, video art, algorithmic creation, and spatial experience. It revitalizes the rich heritage of Chinese culture while demonstrating the vibrant creativity of Chinese fashion as it moves between tradition and the future.

In her opening remarks, Hélène Pichon, Director of Alliance Française de La Haye, traced the historical journey of the Silk Road to present a cross-cultural dialogue between Chinese and French fashion. She remarked that the exhibition is not only a continuation of the Silk Road's legacy of trade but also a testament to the ongoing cultural partnership between China and France in the fields of art, technology, and innovation. Chinese silk has long served as an important medium of exchange between East and West—from its admiration in eighteenth-century French royal courts to the enduring inspiration that Chinese aesthetics continue to provide for French fashion designers.

The academic lecture featured renowned Dutch fashion curator Karin van Paassen, who presented "Wearable Technology and Innovative Materials." Drawing on nearly forty years of curatorial experience, she offered a comprehensive overview of the Netherlands' pioneering achievements in wearable technology and innovative textile materials. She also introduced the cutting-edge research carried out at TextielLab, the laboratory of the TextielMuseum in Tilburg, opening a new window onto the future of fashion technology for the audience.

The exhibition showcases selected works by faculty members and students of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in three major categories: fashion garments, virtual fashion, and interactive wearable design. Rooted in Chinese cultural traditions while embracing technological innovation and global perspectives, these works weave together culture, technology, and artistic imagination into a contemporary vision of fashion.

Wang Zheng, Director of the China Cultural Center in The Hague, hosted the opening ceremony. She remarked that the Silk Road has never been merely a route for the exchange of goods between East and West, but also a bridge connecting civilizations and artistic traditions. The Center will continue to serve as a platform for cultural dialogue, deepen cultural exchanges between China and the Netherlands, and foster greater mutual understanding and friendship through shared appreciation of the arts, contributing to a vibrant landscape of cultural diversity.

The exhibition will remain open until 31 July 2026. Visitors are invited to explore the unique appeal of Chinese fashion art, experience the philosophical depth and creative spirit of Eastern aesthetics, and witness how traditional craftsmanship is being reimagined in the digital age.