Italian leather craftsmanship is world-renowned for its heritage, quality, and mastery of traditional techniques. But today, it’s also at the forefront of material innovation and sustainability. 

In this session, Alessandra Siena of Lineapelle—a global leader in the leather industry—explores how innovation is driving new approaches to sustainability, circular design, and material development, as well as how the Italian leather sector is evolving to meet the environmental and creative demands of the future. 

Alessandra will also share how these advancements are transforming not only fashion, but also the worlds of furniture, interiors, and automotive design—opening up new possibilities for designers, brands, and industries alike. 

Italy takes pride in its leather industry, craftsmanship, and continual innovation, while Hong Kong’s knitwear sector has long been a cornerstone, bearing witness to the golden era of the city’s garment manufacturing; bringing together experts from both places, this conversation will explore how to drive innovation while preserving heritage and artisanal excellence, and how to build a future-ready industry ecosystem.

What does it mean to preserve culture in a fast-changing world? In this keynote, Davide Pozzi, Director of the internationally acclaimed film restoration laboratory L’Immagine Ritrovata, takes us inside the art and impact of restoring cinema’s most treasured works. With studios in Bologna, Paris, and Hong Kong, the lab is a global leader in the preservation of film heritage — combining analog expertise with digital innovation to bring lost or damaged films back to life.​ 

But this is more than a story about cinema. It’s a story about cultural stewardship, creative responsibility, and how restoration can serve as a powerful model for designers and innovators across disciplines. Through landmark case studies and global collaborations, Pozzi reveals the deep ethical, aesthetic, and technical decisions behind restoration — and how these same principles apply to anyone working at the intersection of craft, culture, and technology. For today’s designers, curators, creatives, and cultural leaders, this session offers more than inspiration: it offers a new perspective on how the thoughtful preservation of the past can spark innovation, shape identity, and fuel the future of creative work. 

A fireside chat with Davide Pozzi, Director of L’Immagine Ritrovata, in conversation with Chanel Kong, Curator – Moving Image at M+. Together they will explore how international collaboration and cutting-edge restoration practices can revive Hong Kong’s classic cinema for new audiences. The discussion will delve into the practical and ethical challenges of preserving fragile materials, strategies for safeguarding and celebrating Hong Kong’s film heritage, and a forward-looking vision for empowering creativity and innovation across archives, curators, and restoration studios.

Alessandra Siena will take you on a short journey to discover the world of leather, with a particular focus on Italian leather — celebrated globally for its quality, fashion content, and sustainability. 

Throughout the session, participants will: 

• Gain insights into the history and craftsmanship of Italian leather
• Discover the journey from the raw materials to the finished leather types
• Learn how leather is selected and used across different  sectors
• Explore the sustainability efforts of Italian tanneries and their innovative practices

Each participant will have practical experience with an extensive set of samples to appreciate the various sensorial and technical performances of the different commercial types of leather. 

Led by experts from L’Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna’s renowned film restoration laboratory, this workshop offers a comprehensive introduction to film restoration and preservation. Participants will explore the history, principles, and ethics of film restoration, gain insights into various film materials and their deterioration, and learn about the challenges of analog and digital formats. The workshop features both theoretical and practical modules, including hands-on sessions in film handling, inspection, mechanical repair and cleaning, providing participants with invaluable real-world restoration experience.