Milan, the cradle of luxury and design, welcomed a remarkable cultural and commercial encounter on 28 April: the Promotional Conference for the Fashion Consumer Industry in Sanya and the official presentation of the 2025 Sanya International Bridal Fashion Week. Hosted by the Sanya Municipal Bureau of Commerce, the event took place against the sophisticated backdrop of Italy’s fashion capital, marking an elegant milestone in the growing rapport between East and West. Held to celebrate the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Italy, the conference was a powerful statement of cultural exchange and commercial vision. Its purpose was to deepen bilateral cooperation in the fields of fashion, art, and culture while positioning Sanya as a rising global player in luxury consumption and bridal fashion.
The event brought together an impressive delegation of international dignitaries and industry leaders. Among the distinguished guests was Geng Xiewei, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese Consulate General in Milan. Joining him were Anabela Gonzalez Meza, founder of the Spanish fashion-centric Zuloaga Cultural Foundation; Jean-François Larrieu, President of France’s Taylor Foundation; Massimo Basile, founder of Celebre Magazine World, Luxury Investment Magazine and Rinascimento Magazine, who represented the Italian luxury media sector; Leng Yuxuan, general advisor of the Sanya International Bridal Fashion Week; and Xu Wei, secretary general.
Speaking collectively on behalf of Europe’s fashion and consumer goods industries, they voiced their commitment to encouraging top European brands to engage with Sanya. They aim to inspire fashion houses to unveil collections, establish boutiques, and embrace Sanya’s unique platform to promote haute couture in one of China’s most dynamic luxury markets. More than 100 esteemed guests attended the Milan event, including representatives from globally renowned bridal labels such as The Atelier, Yumi Katsura, Galia Lahav, JoliPoli, Tony Ward, Corona Borealis, and Wang Feng. International media, cultural figures, and luxury industry executives lent their presence, ensuring a global atmosphere.
Zheng Conghui, Director of the Sanya Municipal Bureau of Commerce, presented a compelling narrative about the city’s positioning. Sanya, he noted, is more than a tropical paradise; it is China’s capital of romance, yachting, destination weddings, and luxury tourism. Located in the southern province of Hainan, a key hub in China’s Free Trade Port strategy, Sanya is rapidly becoming an international consumer hotspot.
With over 50 five-star resorts and over 30,000 hotel rooms operated by world-class hospitality brands such as Marriott, InterContinental, Park Hyatt, Shangri-La, Mandarin Oriental, the city attracts discerning travellers and affluent clientele year-round. Projections for 2024 estimate over 30 million overnight visitors, with more than 300,000 couples travelling to Sanya annually for wedding celebrations and bespoke bridal photography. Since 2023, the city has hosted two bridal fashion weeks per year, becoming a coveted stage for new couture launches and luxury brand debuts in China’s growing wedding economy.
Mr. Zheng extended a clear and strategic invitation to Italian fashion enterprises to embrace the opportunities within the Hainan Free Trade Port, combine Milanese craftsmanship with Sanya’s energy, and enter the Chinese luxury space through a gateway of elegance and openness.
In a parallel address, Geng Xiewei reinforced the city’s global potential, describing Sanya as a rising star in international consumer culture. He highlighted the city’s natural allure, azure seas and endless skies, and business vitality, which progressive trade policies made possible. Geng urged European artists and entrepreneurs to see Sanya as a source of aesthetic inspiration and a fertile ground for commercial expansion.
Jean François Larrieu, President of the Taylor Foundation – France
Anabela Gonzalez Meza, Founder of the Zuloaga Cultural Foundation – Spain
Massimo Basile, Editor & Founder of Celebre Magazine World and Luxury Investment Magazine – Italy
Speaking on behalf of the fashion and consumer goods industries of France, Italy, and Spain, they expressed their full commitment to encouraging European fashion brands and key event organisers to pay close attention to Sanya, China. They aim to inspire more European haute couture labels to choose Sanya as the stage for their debut collections, establish their first boutiques, increase promotional investment, and support the continued international development of the city.
Complementing this message was You Huan, Director of the Exhibition and Conference Division at the Sanya Municipal Bureau of Commerce, who outlined favourable policies designed to attract European investment in the fashion consumption industry. As the event drew to a close, a key announcement captured the attention of attendees: the official launch of the 2025 Sanya International Bridal Fashion Week, scheduled to take place from 25 to 30 November 2025. This third edition promises to exceed its predecessors, with over ten major activities on the programme, ranging from couture shows and brand exhibitions to trend forums and awards galas.
International registration for participating brands opens on 10 May 2025, and organisers anticipate the presence of 50 global bridal fashion houses, all convening in Sanya to showcase a seamless blend of style, innovation, and romance. For investors and visionaries in the luxury sector, the Milan conference was a vivid preview of a future shaped by cultural fusion, strategic partnership, and sophisticated opportunity. As Sanya continues to emerge as Asia’s answer to the Riviera lifestyle, its courtship with European fashion capitals promises a future rich in beauty, commerce, and meaningful collaboration.
What unfolded in Milan was the symbolic laying of a bridge between two worlds. A bridge where heritage meets innovation, tradition embraces globalism, and fashion becomes a shared language of elegance and ambition. With its unique combination of policy-driven economic openness, breathtaking natural settings, and a growing appetite for luxury experiences, Sanya is positioning itself as a destination and a global stage for excellence.
In this spirit, the dialogue begun in Milan now invites European creatives, designers, entrepreneurs, and institutions to participate in a new narrative that transcends borders and celebrates the universal values of beauty and craftsmanship. The success of the 2025 Sanya International Bridal Fashion Week will undoubtedly be measured not only in the glamour of its runways but in the enduring bonds it continues to forge between East and West.
The invitation has been extended. The vision is clear, and the future, as glimpsed in Milan, is exquisitely promising.
Article edited by Massimo Basile
Editor & Founder
