On 26 March, the Embassy of Italy in Wellington, together with the Toi Rauwharangi College of Creative Arts at Massey University, celebrated the 2026 edition of the Italian Design Day (IDD), an initiative promoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and implemented across the entire diplomatic‑consular network. This year’s theme, “RE‑DESIGN. Regenerating spaces, objects, ideas and relationships”, invited reflection on how design and architecture can regenerate urban spaces and rethink objects, processes and relationships to improve daily life and strengthen communities.
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Cristiano Maggipinto highlighted the significance of the Italian Design Day as an annual event of international relevance, underscoring the ability of Italian design to combine tradition and innovation, uniting form, functionality and beauty while fostering dialogue with diverse cultural and productive contexts.
The programme, developed in collaboration with Massey University, featured a dialogue between designers and researchers from Italy and New Zealand, accompanied by an exhibition of textiles and samples focused on sustainable materials and the cultural connections that design can promote.
A central moment of the event was the presentation of the textile research project by Professors Faith Kane and Angela Kilford (School of Design), centred on the processing of harakeke, New Zealand flax, deeply rooted in Māori cultural tradition. The project explores new sustainable applications of harakeke fibres in interior textiles and design, supported by a collaboration with the Linificio e Cotonificio Nazionale of Bergamo, an Italian institution that has produced high‑quality linen and cotton yarns for over a century and contributes to the development of innovative and sustainable materials. Dr Rangi te Kanawa, textile conservator at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, further examined the cultural and technical significance of harakeke, drawing on her extensive research.
Designer Chris Jackson (NZ Future Design) provided an overview of the evolution of Italian design, from the avant‑gardes of the early twentieth century to contemporary expressions. Professor Silvia Micheli (University of Queensland), co‑curator of a major exhibition dedicated to architect Enrico Taglietti (1926–2019), illustrated Taglietti’s contribution to the shaping of modern Australian architecture and the broader influence of Italian architectural culture in Oceania. The presentations were followed by a convivial moment and an exhibition of harakeke textile works created by Massey University researchers, displayed alongside samples from the Linificio e Cotonificio Nazionale and fine wool‑and‑possum yarns provided by Woolyarns, a New Zealand company specialising in high‑end fibres and already active in the Italian luxury market.
A particularly meaningful moment was the pōwhiri hosted by Massey University at its Marae to formally welcome the Embassy delegation, during which the historical ties between Māori communities and Italy were recalled, including the participation of the Māori Battalion in the Second World War.
To mark the occasion, the Embassy presented the Marae with a symbolic olive tree.
