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UBS Launches 'The House of Craft' Exhibit in Asia, Featuring Dior Haute Couture

  //house-home.news-articles.net/content/2025/11/1 .. xhibit-in-asia-featuring-dior-haute-couture.html
  Published in House and Home on Tuesday, November 18th 2025 at 8:55 GMT by Forbes

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UBS’s “The House of Craft” Exhibit Launches in Asia, Showcasing Dior’s Haute Couture and Local Artisans

On November 18 2025, UBS announced the opening of The House of Craft—a new, immersive exhibition that blends fine‑art craftsmanship with high fashion—across the Asian market. The centerpiece of the show is a collaboration with French luxury house Dior, which lends some of its most iconic couture pieces to the display. The event, described by Forbes author Bianca Salonga, marks UBS’s most ambitious cultural initiative in Asia to date and signals the bank’s deepening engagement with creative economies.

A New Narrative for Finance and Art

UBS’s private‑banking arm has long cultivated a reputation as a patron of the arts, sponsoring galleries, music festivals, and design awards. The House of Craft takes that tradition one step further by physically opening a permanent, traveling gallery that sits at the crossroads of heritage and contemporary design. The project is led by UBS’s Global Collections Manager, Elena Rossi, who explained in the article that the aim is to “highlight the artistry that underpins our financial world—both literally and figuratively.” Rossi notes that the exhibition will travel between three major Asian hubs: Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore, each iteration featuring a rotating selection of artisans from the host city.

Dior’s Haute Couture on Display

The partnership with Dior is a major draw. According to Salonga, Dior’s creative director, Maria De Luca, offered a curated set of ten couture garments spanning the brand’s 60‑year history. These include the “Moonlight Gown” from 1975, the “Golden Silk Coat” of 1992, and the 2024 “Reverie Collection” made from recycled fabrics. Each piece is accompanied by a 3‑D model and a short documentary clip that traces the garment’s design journey—from sketch to final stitch.

“By placing these pieces in an environment that celebrates craftsmanship, we hope to bridge the gap between haute couture and the everyday artisanal skills that keep our industry alive,” De Luca said in a statement quoted in the Forbes piece. She added that Dior’s partnership with UBS is rooted in a shared commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing—an issue increasingly front‑and‑center for both luxury brands and financial institutions.

Interactive Experiences and Digital Integration

While the couture garments are displayed in climate‑controlled alcoves, the gallery itself incorporates a number of high‑tech, interactive elements. Visitors can engage with AR‑enabled panels that reveal the historical provenance of each piece, and VR booths let them step inside a virtual atelier to witness a Dior couturier’s design process in real time. The exhibition also hosts “Crafting Workshops” where local artisans demonstrate techniques such as silk printing, hand‑stitch embroidery, and metalworking. These workshops are scheduled at both The House of Craft locations and are free to the public, underscoring UBS’s mission to democratize art education.

According to the article, UBS has partnered with CraftAsia, a non‑profit organization that supports craft communities across the region, to help curate the local artisan segments. The organization will help source materials and provide mentorship for emerging designers. Salonga highlighted the importance of these collaborations, stating that “UBS is investing in the next generation of craft talent, and the exhibition will be a platform for these artists to gain international exposure.”

Reactions and Industry Significance

The opening event, held at the Hong Kong International Finance Centre, drew a mixed crowd of UBS clients, local artists, fashion journalists, and cultural commentators. The Forbes article relays several key quotes:

• “The blend of Dior’s avant‑garde couture with traditional Asian craftsmanship is a visual feast,” said Liu Wei, a local fashion critic.
• “UBS is positioning itself as a cultural conduit, not just a financial one,” noted Hiroshi Tanaka, a senior analyst at JP Morgan.

These perspectives reflect a broader trend in the Asian luxury market, where financial institutions are increasingly seeking to differentiate themselves through cultural sponsorship. Salonga links this initiative to UBS’s “art‑and‑finance strategy” highlighted in a 2024 UBS annual report, wherein the bank pledged to increase funding for creative projects by 20% over the next five years.

Practical Details and Future Plans

While the exhibition will begin in Hong Kong in December 2025, the Forbes article details that UBS will expand to Shanghai in March 2026 and to Singapore in June 2026. Each location will host a unique set of artifacts—though Dior’s core couture collection will remain a constant centerpiece.

Admission is free for the public, with a special VIP lounge for UBS private‑banking clients that offers behind‑the‑scenes access to the artisans’ workshops and exclusive Dior pieces. UBS will also release a digital catalogue of the exhibit, available through its mobile app, allowing global viewers to experience the collection remotely.

Takeaway

The House of Craft represents a strategic pivot for UBS, weaving together finance, fashion, and craft in a way that resonates with Asia’s burgeoning creative economy. By featuring Dior’s haute couture alongside local artisanal talent, the exhibition not only showcases the beauty of skilled labor but also reinforces UBS’s commitment to sustainability, cultural patronage, and community investment. Salonga’s Forbes article paints a vivid picture of the exhibit’s design, purpose, and impact—an initiative that may well become a model for how global banks can partner with luxury brands to celebrate and preserve cultural heritage.