This morning, the municipal government held a press conference to introduce the 2025 World Design Capital Conference. Officials provided details and answered questions.

As a globally connected metropolis, Shanghai has been comprehensively advancing design to empower industrial innovation, create vibrant urban spaces, optimize public services, enhance quality of life, and build the city’s brand since being named a UNESCO “City of Design” in 2010. The design innovation ecosystem has been improved with coordinated development across five major sectors: industrial, architectural, fashion, digital, and service design. The industry scale exceeds 1.6 trillion yuan, with 21 national-level industrial design centers and 200 municipal-level design innovation centers cultivated. Each year, the Shanghai Design 100+ outstanding design achievements are selected and promoted, generating over 250 billion yuan in industrial transformation. Experts and young designers continue to emerge, and the World Design Capital Conference brand has grown more influential. The concept that “design is everywhere in the city and in life” is deeply rooted.

The 2025 World Design Capital Conference is co-hosted by the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and UNESCO. The main event will take place from September 25 to 28, with the main venue located in Huangpu District. The conference theme is “Boundless Design, Everlasting Vitality,” aiming to build a global platform for design innovation cooperation and explore paths for design-driven development. It will strive to become a benchmark for ecological design, a new paradigm for fashionable living, and a source of industrial innovation. The conference will feature a refreshed structure: 1 opening ceremony, 2 exhibition layouts (Shanghai and overseas), 2 thematic forums (International Design Masters Forum and Global Creative Cities Design Forum), 5 specialized forums covering industrial, architectural, fashion, digital, and service design, 5 industry ecosystem sessions (supply-demand matching, investment promotion, new product releases, fashion shows, talent recruitment), and X citywide and overseas联动 activities, providing diverse options for participants.

The conference has three key features:

Focus on Internationalization: Gathering Global Design Wisdom

Gathering masters to discuss the future of design. Nearly 1,000 speakers will be invited, including presidents of international design organizations and top design schools, design masters, academicians, and representatives from leading enterprises. They will share insights on cutting-edge technologies and trends across the five design fields.

City interactions to discuss development paths. Over 30 global creative cities will participate to exchange experiences in building “Design Capitals.” This year, the achievements of Shanghai’s 15 years as a “Design Capital” will be released.

Leading trends and exploring ecological design. The conference will focus on “ecological design,” addressing green transformation and sustainable fashion. Keynote speeches and dialogues on green design and the blue economy will be featured, and an ecological design expert committee will be established.

Exploring industry trends. Over 40 professional design forums will be held, covering topics such as AI+ design, trendy domestic products, silver economy, advertising design, food design, beautiful countryside, design education, youth creativity, and women’s power.

Focus on Fashion: Gathering Chinese and International Design Achievements

Exhibitions will include a main Shanghai exhibition and overseas exhibitions. The Shanghai exhibition will cover approximately 15,000 square meters, featuring nearly 500 brands and over 3,000 exhibits, with about 20% international brands and 60% emerging brands. Themed zones will include ecological design, fashionable lifestyle brands, and country-specific sections for Italy, Nordic countries, and Brazil. Examples include displays on green innovative materials and sustainable packaging, as well as showcases in fashion apparel, cosmetics, and cultural creative products. The 2025 Shanghai Design 100+ global competition outstanding projects will be featured, along with an outdoor design carnival. The exhibition will advocate green and sustainable setup methods.

Overseas exhibitions will promote Shanghai design and fashion consumer products abroad. Activities include a Shanghai fashion consumer products exhibition in Paris, fashion shows in Milan during Fashion Week, and exhibitions in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, further extending the conference’s impact.

The 2025 Shanghai Design 100+ selection process began on March 15, with over 2,600 outstanding entries from 17 countries. The shortlisted projects reflect the highest standards yet, showcasing design’s role in empowering industry, enhancing life, serving the city, and envisioning the future. During the conference, the annual awards and Top 100 projects will be announced, with release events, specialized exhibitions, and industry matching activities.

Focus on Youth: Building a Design Innovation Ecosystem

This year, a new U35 Youth Design Talent Program will be launched to select young design talents working in Shanghai, organizing project roadshows to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship. The response has been enthusiastic, with

UNESCO

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is not a single place but a specialized agency of the United Nations, founded in 1945 to promote peace through international cooperation in education, science, and culture. It is best known for designating and protecting World Heritage Sites, which are cultural and natural landmarks of outstanding universal value.

Shanghai

Shanghai is a major global financial hub and the largest city in China, with a history dating back over a thousand years. It grew rapidly in the 19th and early 20th centuries as a treaty port, blending Eastern and Western architectural and cultural influences. Today, it is known for its iconic skyline, including the historic Bund waterfront and the modern skyscrapers of Pudong.

Huangpu District

Huangpu District is the historical and administrative heart of Shanghai, China, encompassing the original old city as well as the famous Bund waterfront. Its history dates back centuries as a walled city, and it became the core of foreign concessions and international trade in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, it is a major financial and tourist hub, famous for its contrast between colonial-era architecture and the modern skyscrapers of Pudong across the river.

International Design Masters Forum

The International Design Masters Forum is a prestigious global conference that brings together leading designers and creative professionals to discuss cutting-edge trends and innovations. It was established to foster cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration in the design industry, often rotating host cities to reflect its international scope. The forum highlights both contemporary design practices and historical influences shaping the future of the field.

Global Creative Cities Design Forum

The Global Creative Cities Design Forum is an international platform established to foster collaboration and innovation among UNESCO-designated Creative Cities. It brings together policymakers, designers, and cultural leaders to share best practices and develop projects that harness design for sustainable urban development. The forum’s history is rooted in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, launched in 2004, which it serves as a major convening event for.

Shanghai Design 100+

“Shanghai Design 100+” is a major annual exhibition and event platform that showcases top-tier design works and innovations. It was launched to promote Shanghai’s growing influence in the global design industry and to foster creative exchange. The event highlights cutting-edge projects across various design disciplines, reflecting the city’s commitment to becoming an international design capital.

Paris

Paris is the capital of France and a major global center for art, fashion, and culture. Its history dates back over 2,000 years to a Gallic settlement, later becoming the center of a powerful kingdom and empire. The city is renowned for iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame.

Milan

Milan is a major global fashion and design capital in northern Italy, with a history dating back to around 400 BC. It is renowned for its rich artistic and architectural heritage, most famously housing Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” and the magnificent Gothic Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano), which took nearly six centuries to complete.