NATIONAL CHAMBER OF SWISS FASHION
Non-Profit Association of Public Utility
Founded on 18 January 2007 · Institutional Symbol: Madre Helvetia®
Entered in the Commercial Register. Trademark registered with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property, Bern.
Guardian of the highest values of Swiss Fashion, Art and Culture, at home and around the world. It brings together world-renowned designers and the talents of the NEW GENERATION DESIGNER, in collaboration with international Institutions, in a single vision: quality, beauty and uncompromising innovation.
It promotes and protects the excellence and craftsmanship of Made in Switzerland: Haute Couture, watchmaking, jewellery, textiles and embroidery.
Ethical, Cruelty-Free, Sustainable. Against counterfeiting and unfair competition. For the dignity of people and respect for animals and the environment.
58 international Memoranda of Understanding
Vigilantia · Fortitudo · Libertas · Pacificatio · Concordia
I. The Official Presentation — Villa Sassa, Lugano, 13 September 2007
On 13 September 2007, at Villa Sassa in Lugano, the National Chamber of Swiss Fashion was officially presented to the press. The birth of the Chamber was warmly received by the Institutions — from the Swiss Confederation to the Council of State of the Republic and Canton of Ticino, as well as Ticino Turismo and Lugano Turismo — which expressed their welcome and congratulations.
In an official letter, the Council of State welcomed the birth of the Chamber “with joy”, describing it as “a novum at national level” and regarding the choice of Lugano as its seat as a source of pride for the Canton. Those present at the presentation included Marco Sorgesa, then Director of Lugano Turismo, and Franco Cavadini, then President of the Association of Clothing Manufacturers of the Canton of Ticino.
The presentation is documented by the press coverage of the time — including the Corriere del Ticino of 14 September 2007 and LIVING of October 2007 — and by the official group photograph, kept in the Chamber’s archive and available for consultation in the PRESS › Archive section of the official CNMS website.
II. The First Memorandum of Understanding — Bari, 26 November 2007
At the official invitation of the Ambassador of Switzerland to Italy, H.E. Bruno Spinner, the CNMS represented Swiss fashion at the Italian-Swiss economic conference “Bari ’07 – The Meeting”, promoted by the Embassy of Switzerland in Italy at the Fiera del Levante in Bari and opened by the President of the Senate of the Italian Republic, Franco Marini, and by Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard, in the presence of numerous Swiss and Italian authorities. On 26 November 2007 the first international Memorandum of Understanding of the CNMS was signed there — the first of 58 signed by the Chamber worldwide — between:
- Franco TarantoFounding President, for the National Chamber of Swiss Fashion
- Paolo MarinuzziPresident, for the Camera della Moda Mediterranea
The signing is documented by numerous press articles published for the occasion and by the original official photograph of the event, kept in the Chamber’s archive, showing the two signatories with Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard, Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs (FDEA) and President of the Confederation in 2010 and 2017, and with the President of the Province of Bari, Vincenzo Divella. The articles and the official photograph are available for consultation in the PRESS › Archive section of the official CNMS website.
III. Legal Status and Regulatory Framework
The National Chamber of Swiss Fashion (CNMS) is a non-profit association of public utility, constituted with Articles of Association pursuant to Art. 60 et seq. of the Swiss Civil Code (CC). It operates in full compliance with the principles of the Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation, with a strong national identity and an international vision.
All resources are entirely reinvested in institutional activities, for the exclusive benefit of the Chamber’s cultural mission. Any contributions by occasional collaborators are made in compliance with the applicable Swiss legislation. The CNMS operates with full transparency in its accounting and management.
The founding values of the Chamber — Vigilantia, Fortitudo, Libertas, Pacificatio, Concordia — form the ethical and institutional foundation of all its actions, in full harmony with the federal and solidary spirit that has characterised the Swiss Confederation for centuries, expressed in its traditional motto inscribed in the dome of the Federal Palace in Bern:
«Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno» — One for all, all for one.
IV. Institutional Mission
The CNMS represents and protects the highest cultural, artistic and ethical values of Swiss fashion, at home and abroad. Founded on a strong national identity and an international vision, it has succeeded in combining elegance, culture, creativity and institutional responsibility, becoming an authoritative point of reference for the Swiss fashion system worldwide.
The CNMS works to:
01
PROMOTION
Swiss designers · fashion shows · workshops · international exchange
Promote Swiss designers through institutional fashion shows, qualified presentations, fashion talks and professional workshops — ensuring opportunities for direct exchange with professionals of national and international standing, in keeping with the standards of excellence that distinguish Switzerland on the world creative scene.
02
GENERATION
New Generation · talents · masterclass · Made in Switzerland
Resolutely support the New Generation Designers of Made in Switzerland, offering young talents the concrete opportunity to express their creativity on the same institutional stage as established designers.
At every event the CNMS promotes the Helvetia Masterclass: meetings dedicated to the transmission of knowledge, in which internationally renowned designers share with New Generation talents their creative vision, their ethical values and the experience gained on the great stages of world fashion. Participants may receive a certificate of participation.
03
ENCOUNTER
International exchanges · cultural diplomacy · UNESCO 2005 Convention · artist residencies
Promote Switzerland as a privileged meeting place for cultures, creativity and human values — fostering international exchanges among young talents, designers, artists and creatives from all over the world. Every event of the Chamber becomes a laboratory of cultural diplomacy, where Swiss craft heritage enters into dialogue with international creative expressions and cultural diversity becomes a creative resource.
The CNMS promotes artist residencies, intercultural masterclasses and educational exchanges, in line with the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and with Switzerland’s historic vocation as a hospitable, neutral country open to the world.
04
EXCELLENCE
Swiss luxury · UNESCO watchmaking · jewellery · fine artisanal manufacturing
Enhance and promote the entire Swiss luxury ecosystem — fashion, watchmaking, jewellery and fine artisanal manufacturing — as a unified and inimitable expression of Switzerland’s creative, technical and cultural identity in the world.
The craftsmanship of mechanical watchmaking of the Jura Arc, inscribed in 2020 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity jointly with France, Geneva’s centuries-old goldsmithing and jewellery tradition and St. Gallen’s textile and embroidery tradition represent, together with fashion, the pillars of a luxury system unique in the world. The CNMS acts as the natural institutional interlocutor of this integrated ecosystem, fostering its creative synergy and international reach.
05
CULTURE
Fashion as art · photography · Swiss identity · creative diplomacy
Affirm fashion as an authentic cultural language and a form of contemporary art — integrating photography, design, painting, sculpture, architecture and the performing arts in an interdisciplinary project that enhances Swiss identity.
The CNMS operates in full consistency with the objectives of the cultural policy of the Swiss Confederation, as defined in the Federal Act on the Promotion of Culture (CPA, 2009) and in the Culture Message 2025–2028 adopted by the Federal Council — contributing, as an autonomous private entity complementary to public instruments of cultural promotion, to the international projection of Switzerland’s image through fashion, art and creativity.
06
SYNERGY
Fashion · Art · Culture · Economy · Swiss international identity
Build structured collaborations between fashion, art, culture and the economy — contributing to strengthening Switzerland’s international identity and to enhancing sustainable innovation as a pillar of Swiss excellence in the world.
07
DIALOGUE
Embassies · memoranda of understanding · international diplomatic relations
Develop and maintain formal relations with public bodies, embassies, consulates and international organisations — promoting cooperation agreements, memoranda of understanding and joint cultural initiatives in full respect of diplomatic procedures and the institutional standards in force.
08
PROTECTION
Intellectual property · anti-counterfeiting · Made in Switzerland · international regulations
Actively defend the creativity and intellectual property of Swiss designers and fashion houses, countering all forms of counterfeiting, unfair competition and improper commercial practice that would harm the integrity and reputation of Made in Switzerland.
The CNMS acts in full compliance with the Federal Act on the Protection of Trade Marks and Indications of Source (TmPA), the Federal Act on Copyright (CopA), the Federal Act against Unfair Competition (UCA), the Swiss Code of Obligations and the applicable international regulations on intellectual property and protection of origin.
09
LEGALITY
UN · ILO · UNGP · ethical due diligence · operational transparency
Adhere to and enforce the principles of ethical due diligence in every area of activity, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC, 1989), ILO Conventions No. 138 on the minimum age for admission to employment and No. 182 on the worst forms of child labour, the Swiss Federal Labour Act (LA) and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP, 2011) — ensuring transparency, fairness and full accountability at every stage of institutional and promotional activity.
These principles are also concretely expressed in the international civic commitment of Victims of Beauty — Silence Kills Dignity, a Swiss non-profit association of public utility founded by the same President and dedicated to protecting human dignity.
10
HERITAGE
Craft tradition · multilingual identity · applied arts · cultural memory
Preserve and enhance Switzerland’s cultural and artistic heritage in fashion and the applied arts — combining craft tradition, creative innovation and a multilingual national identity in a project of excellence recognised and respected internationally.
11
SUSTAINABILITY
Circularity · animal welfare · decarbonisation · environmental and social responsibility
Promote environmentally friendly and socially responsible production practices, encouraging the adoption of certified materials and processes that respect the environment, people and animals in accordance with the Swiss Federal Animal Welfare Act (AniWA) and the Animal Welfare Ordinance (AniWO) — actively contributing to the transition towards a conscious and circular fashion system, in full consistency with the environmental commitments of the Swiss Confederation and the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.
12
EDUCATION
Scholarships · mentorship · schools and academies · school-industry dialogue
Promote fashion culture as an educational language, an instrument of civic responsibility and a vehicle for transmitting artisanal and creative know-how — through educational programmes, scholarships and structured mentorship paths.
The CNMS declares its willingness to develop formal collaborations with higher education institutions, fashion schools, academies of art and design, and Swiss and international universities that share the same standards of excellence, ethics and quality — within a system in which the world of education and the professional world of fashion meet, enrich each other and together build the creative, artisanal and cultural skills of the future.
In particular, the Chamber promotes direct dialogue between students, young designers and industry professionals, offering the new generations the opportunity to engage with the real world of fashion, art and Swiss luxury during their academic path. The CNMS is open to memoranda of understanding with educational institutions of any country, in respect of institutional reciprocity, the quality of shared educational standards and the autonomy of each party involved.
13
INCLUSION
Equity · equal opportunities · human rights · authentic representation
Value diversity as a creative and institutional resource — promoting equity, equal opportunities and authentic representation in the Swiss fashion ecosystem, in line with the fundamental principles of the Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation and with the international human rights conventions to which Switzerland is party.
14
NETWORKING
Public-private bridges · luxury · designers · institutions · global partners
Build strategic bridges between the public and private sectors — creating connections between designers, institutions, cultural associations, academies, luxury ambassadors and international partners from all over the world, to consolidate Switzerland as a recognised hub of creative, ethical and innovative excellence on the global fashion and luxury scene.
V. Madre Helvetia® — Institutional Symbol and Solemn Presence
Helvetia has always accompanied Switzerland — stamped on its coins since 1850, the silent symbol of a Nation. With the birth of the Chamber, on 18 January 2007, Franco Taranto — international visual artist, Swiss and Italian citizen resident in Switzerland — made a gesture without precedent in Swiss history: he transformed that effigy into a living, solemn and itinerant human presence, making it, from that very day, the institutional symbol of the CNMS.
Madre Helvetia® appears in her red gown, reinterpreted over the years by high-profile designers, with the shield bearing the Swiss cross and the spear — the warrior who defends the Motherland, its culture, its identity, its beauty. The figure is itinerant: interpreted for each occasion, she carries the living face of the Confederation to the most significant places of Swiss history and international diplomacy.
Since 18 August 2014, when at the Palazzo Civico of Lugano she welcomed the entire Federal Council on an official visit, led by the President of the Confederation Didier Burkhalter, Madre Helvetia® has often been present at ceremonies of the highest Swiss and international institutions, documented step by step: decades of professional photographic work have built the entire iconographic archive of Madre Helvetia®.
Institutional presence of Madre Helvetia®
Among the most significant milestones
Palazzo Civico, Lugano
Madre Helvetia® welcomes the entire Federal Council on an official visit, led by the President of the Confederation Didier Burkhalter.
Expo Milano 2015, Swiss Pavilion
Laying of the foundation stone, in the presence of Manuele Bertoli, then President of the Council of State of the Canton of Ticino, many other Swiss institutions and Massimo Baggi, then Consul General of Switzerland in Milan.
Expo Milano 2015, opening
Official photograph with Matteo Renzi, then President of the Council of Ministers of the Italian Republic.
Embassy of Switzerland in Rome
8 appearances (4 Swiss Fashion World and 4 Swiss National Day celebrations) with the performance of the Swiss and Italian national anthems. On 25 July 2018 Ambassador Giancarlo Kessler publicly thanked the CNMS for its collaboration over those years · Under the patronage of the Swiss Confederation.
Bern, Federal Palace
Official photographs with the Ticino Delegation to the Federal Assembly, including Ignazio Cassis, then National Councillor, later Federal Councillor from 2017 and President of the Confederation in 2022, and Filippo Lombardi, then Councillor of States.
Rütli, Swiss National Day
Official presence with Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, former President of the Confederation and President of Pro Senectute, and with Jean-Daniel Gerber, then President of the Swiss Society for the Common Good (SSUP).
To name but a few. The complete press review — articles, photographs, videos and original documents — is available for consultation in the PRESS › Archive section.
VI. Activities, Events and International Relations
Over the course of its activity, the CNMS has conceived, organised and promoted events of national and international significance, consolidating its institutional presence in Switzerland and abroad. The roots of this path lie in Swiss soil; among the main initiatives, to name but a few:
Fashion Under The Stars
18 editions · Under the patronage of the Canton of Ticino, the City of Lugano, Locarno, Ascona.
Swiss Fashion World – Lugano
4 editions · Under the patronage of the Canton of Ticino and the City of Lugano.
Swiss Fashion World – Consulate General of Switzerland in Milan
1 edition · Under the patronage of the Swiss Confederation.
Swiss Fashion World – Campione d’Italia
3 editions · Under the patronage of the Municipality of Campione d’Italia, the Consulate General of Italy in Lugano and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Switzerland (CCIS).
Swiss Fashion World – Embassy of Switzerland in Rome
4 editions · Under the patronage of the Swiss Confederation.
Swiss National Day – Embassy of Switzerland in Rome
4 editions · Under the patronage of the Swiss Confederation.
Fashion Week Lugano
3 editions (May and November 2016 at LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, July 2017 at Hotel Dante, Lugano) · Under the patronage of the City of Lugano.
Fashion for Dignity – Palazzo Marino, Milan
3 editions · Under the patronage of the City of Milan.
These events featured Swiss New Generation designers alongside internationally renowned professionals, including — by way of example — Pierre Cardin, Rocco Barocco, Alessandra Gucci, Anton Giulio Grande, Lorenzo Riva, Gai Mattiolo, Addy Van den Krommenacker, Giuseppe Fata, Jamal Taslaq, Raffaella Curiel, Alessandro Consiglio, Camillo Bona, Gruppo La Perla and Impero Couture.
To name but a few. The complete press review — articles, photographs, videos and original documents — is available for consultation in the PRESS › Archive section.
VII. Institutional Structure and Governance
The CNMS is led by its Founding President Franco Taranto — Creator, Founder and sole owner of the Intellectual Property of the National Chamber of Swiss Fashion and its institutional symbol Madre Helvetia® · Sole Proprietorship · since 18 January 2007.
Members of the Chamber:
- Bianca Gervasiosince 2007 · International Creative Director and runway icon
- Manuela Soldatisince 2009 · Designer · Founder of the CNMS New Generation Designer Made in Switzerland
- Alessandra Guccisince 2009 · Designer · Founder of AG Limited Editions, high-end handmade handbag collections · Heir to the historic Florentine fashion family
- Addy Van den Krommenackersince 2011 · International designer · Grand Maître of European Haute Couture
- Jamal Taslaqsince 2013 · International Haute Couture designer · Atelier in Rome since 1999 · Has dressed Queen Rania of Jordan and international stars such as Sharon Stone · Presented at the United Nations Headquarters in New York (2014)
- Anton Giulio Grandesince 2014 · International designer · Ambassador of Italian and Swiss Fashion in the world · Creator of the official ceremonial gown of Madre Helvetia® (2025)
- Giuseppe Fatasince 2017 · International artist and designer · Inventor of the “Testa Sculpture” technique
- Dimitar Dradisince 2017 · International designer · New Generation Designer
- Maristella Patuzzisince 2017 · Internationally renowned violinist
- Massimo Basilesince 2025 · Director and publisher of Celebre Magazine
- Carmelo Alisince 2026 · Events Art Director and Director of the Diamond Club Fashion Event
The Members of the Chamber are protagonists of the CNMS institutional events: Swiss Fashion World, Fashion Week and international showcases such as Fashion Under The Stars.
VIII. Institutional Communication — Swiss Fashion TV · World Magazine
The CNMS has developed the multimedia editorial platform Swiss Fashion TV · World Magazine — an international non-profit project dedicated to promoting Swiss and world fashion, art and design through cultural reportage, qualified journalistic content and institutional communication initiatives with wide international reach.
Swiss Fashion TV is in every respect an institutional branch of the Chamber, with editorial coverage extending to Fashion Weeks and the most prestigious institutional venues in the world — produced largely through content shared directly by the protagonists of the sector themselves, by designers, institutions and partner organisations from all over the world, bearing witness to an international network that carries the name of Switzerland far beyond its borders.
“The National Chamber of Swiss Fashion is an institution that belongs to Switzerland and that Switzerland carries into the world.”
Franco Taranto — Founding President
Creator, Founder and sole owner of the Intellectual Property of the National Chamber of Swiss Fashion and its institutional symbol Madre Helvetia® · Sole Proprietorship · since 18 January 2007.