Helveticana – Swiss Material Culture in Motion
Switzerland through garments and gear shaped by terrain, infrastructure and movement.

The exhibition, presented in collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland, explores Switzerland through what was worn, carried and maintained in everyday life across the twentieth century – from alpine protective systems to institutional uniforms and sportswear embedded in schools, clubs and international competition. As an archival exhibition, it draws on a clothing and material collection to present over 100 objects spanning from the 1930s to the 1990s, reflecting Swiss approaches to design, production and use.

Rather than approaching them as fashion, the exhibition frames these garments and systems as carriers of knowledge shaped by environmental conditions, institutional structures and technological change. As innovation increasingly intersects with questions of durability and long-term responsibility in design and manufacturing, Swiss material culture offers a distinctive historical perspective. In Switzerland, innovation often evolved through sustained technical problem-solving and close attention to real-world application rather than through rapid stylistic change or short-lived technological novelty. Many garments were engineered to perform reliably, endure repeated use and remain in circulation over long periods of time – reflecting a design culture grounded in precision, continuity and material intelligence.

Situated within the historic setting of M WOODS Beijing, the exhibition creates a dialogue between two cultures with strong traditions of craftsmanship, technical expertise and manufacturing intelligence. By bringing Swiss material heritage into a contemporary Chinese context, Helveticana invites reflection on how societies shape modern life through design – and how past solutions can inform future development.

Across three floors, the exhibition unfolded through three thematic chapters — alpine terrain, national infrastructure and cultures of movement. Alongside archival moving image material and an open research library, the exhibition brought together garments and objects from Swiss institutions including Swissair, SBB, PTT and the Swiss Armed Forces, as well as brands such as Nabholz, Protector, Kandahar, Ege, Richner, Wenet and Fritsch.