China’s Creative Surge Around the Neo-Traditional Trend: Between Creation, Craft, and Transmission

As the Révélations fair is presented outside France for the first time in 2024, as part of Beijing Design Week, the ties between the French and Chinese craft scenes are gaining new momentum.
Through cultural events, artist residencies, and collaborations with major luxury houses, a whole facet of contemporary luxury is being rewritten at the crossroads of craftsmanship.

The China Arts Change Report, conducted by the agency Somexing, deciphers the key trends shaping the Chinese art market. One movement is currently standing out: the rise of “neo-traditionalism.” Far from static nostalgia, this trend reflects a desire to reconnect with ancestral techniques, materials, and symbols — reinterpreting them in a contemporary language.
This return to craft is not isolated; it mirrors a broader need for meaning, grounding, and authenticity in an ultra-connected society. And most importantly, it provides fertile ground for collaboration between French and Chinese savoir-faire.

In November 2024, the Comité Colbert gathered 17 iconic French maisons in Shanghai for the “Jeux de mains” event — a week of dialogue between French and Chinese artisans, centered on the theme of transmission. More than a one-off initiative, this project reflects a strong commitment to building lasting bridges between the two craft scenes.

Since 2003, the Comité Colbert has been organizing events in China, anticipating and accompanying shifts in the country’s luxury market. “Jeux de mains” marks a turning point: that of mutual recognition of craftsmanship, beyond commercial goals, grounded in respect, exchange, and co-creation.

Major luxury houses are keenly aware of the trend. In recent years, many initiatives have emerged, placing Chinese artisans and artists at the heart of their creative strategies. Hennessy, for example, launched a unique collaboration for the recent Chinese New Year with artist Shuting Qiu — blending local traditions with contemporary design using vibrant colors and material juxtapositions.

Chanel’s 2024-2025 Métiers d’art show in Hangzhou, as well as Guerlain’s projects like the exceptional edition crafted by Chinese paper artist Li Hongbo, show that brands are seeking a genuine dialogue with the local scene — far beyond mere marketing strategies.

The choice of Shanghai to host the second edition of the Révélations fair in 2026 is no coincidence. Following a first edition in Beijing in 2024, this landmark event for the fine crafts sector is reaching a new milestone, establishing itself within a truly international dynamic. This edition will also mark the beginning of a new biennial rhythm, alternating between Paris and Shanghai.
This shift reflects growing recognition of Asian — particularly Chinese — craft scenes as key players in contemporary creation. The success of Korea’s Craft Trend Fair reinforces this regional momentum, but it is China that is emerging as the next major convergence point for craftsmanship and design.

Some initiatives embody this hands-on approach to cultural exchange. Among them, Cunzu — a project led by Deyi Living — offers residency programs in China for French designers seeking to collaborate with local artisans and creators. This platform, co-founded by Pauline Ferrières, works to break down cultural barriers through making, co-design, and mutual learning.

This kind of long-term, practice-driven, and mutually respectful approach may well be one of the most powerful tools for building a new kind of cultural diplomacy — a diplomacy of the hand.

While China has long been seen as a mass-production powerhouse, it now stands at the forefront of redefining craftsmanship: more conceptual, more narrative, more daring. In return, France brings its historical perspective on the applied arts — its rigor, its tradition of transmission.

Exchanges between the two countries continue to multiply, driven by both institutions and independent creators. In essence, what’s emerging is a form of craftsmanship that is both global and rooted — a craftsmanship of the future, built on encounter, material, and meaning. And this dynamic extends beyond China: in India, Villa Swagatam carries this ambition forward by welcoming French artists and designers into local artisans’ workshops, fostering cross-cultural transmission and co-creation. Everywhere, the gesture becomes a shared language — a vehicle for connection and understanding.