January 11, 2023 |
The Chinese New Year is a vivacious cultural celebration centred around exorcising all that’s bad or old, welcoming positivity and newness instead. It’s a time to worship ancestors, banish evil spirits and pray for good harvest; to welcome the Gods of Wealth with traditional Lion and Dragon dances, temple fairs and eclectic botanical markets. Commencing each Lunar calendar year with the ascension of the new moon, red lanterns will line the streets of cities across the globe and families will reunite in a heartening embrace of love and light. A global festival full of folk tales, firecrackers, fabulous costumes and exquisite banquets – with more delicious food and drink than one could ever consume without company – to say “Xinnian Kuaile” (Mandarin for Happy New Year) to all!
Kicking off January 22, festivities will herald the Year of the Rabbit, carrying with it a variety of commendable characteristics and prospects for 2023. An emblem of kindness and courage, rabbits tend to be gentle, quiet and alert, and symbolise mercy, elegance and beauty. They’re also known to be the luckiest out of all the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac – of which the rabbit is the fourth – representing the moon, intelligence, health and longevity.
As always, fashion is getting in on the action – bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. From Burberry’s eared animal hats to Gucci’s bunny-abundant meadow and Ferragamo’s enlarged crimson critter eyes, the pillars of luxury are celebrating in style. Hop to it!
BURBERRY
Taking a leap into the unknown this new year, Burberry has unveiled a triptych of films by Zika Liu starring actors Qi Xi and Shi Pengyuan, alongside footballer Zhao Lina. Sky can be credited with capturing the alfresco stills, which display padded jackets, baseball caps, cashmere scarfs, oversized sunglasses and bold optical frames and varsity jackets. Roomy shirting, casual T-shirts, hoodies, jogging pants, skirts and intarsia-knits are on offer too; each with cartoon graphics and reimagined rabbit ears monograms – at times curling into the shape of a heart. There are matching childrenswear options for your mini-me too, making this Chinese New Year a joyful family affair. Shop now.
FERRAGAMO
Maximilian Davis’ Lunar New Years capsule collection for Ferragamo features an edited selection of silk foulards, shirts and skirts, a crewneck sweater, a city jacket and soft cotton T-shirts flanked by low-top sneakers, the Gancini buckle belt, small leather accessories and signature carryalls. Captured at close range as if under a microscope and blown up to epic proportions, an auspicious and serene rabbit eye animates the sophisticated range and its full figure infiltrates enchanting environmental prints for a propitious and peaceful 2023. Shop here.
MULBERRY X MIFFY
Dick Bruna’s beloved animated character Miffy, takes on Mulberry in an unexpected, yet adorable collaboration. Tapping into the Dutch bunny’s unwavering sense of adventure, Mulberry is offering everything from a series of limited-edition bags and accessories including bold keyrings, travel and tech accessories, to small leather goods crafted from 100 percent environmentally-accredited carbon neutral leather – all with Miffy curiously hopping from design to design, evoking a sense of playful mischief. There are minimalistic lifestyle products ranging from soft toys to stationary too; cute stuff all round. Shop here.
SELF-PORTRAIT
Lensed by British Chinese photographer Alexandra Leese, Self-Portrait’s Chinese New Year campaign celebrates family and friendship. Drawing inspiration from their heritage, founder and creative director Han Chong, together with Leese, wanted to embrace both the intimacy and energy of familial moments, especially those of tradition, unity, community and shared rituals. So, Chong crafted a series of exquisite styles for both women and kids, some being inspired by the traditional Chinese cheongsam gown. The edit is now available to purchase online and in Self-Portrait stores around the world. Shop now.
GUCCI
In celebration of the festive season that precedes Chinese New Year and the arrival of spring, the Gucci gang relax with a bunch of baby bunnies and furry rabbits amid a dream-like meadow full of fantastical flowers. Captured by Max Siedentopf, it’s a special campaign and collection, evoking a joyful mood through the fanciful use of dynamic colour, exquisite prints, and intricate embellishments across silk blouses and skirts, knits, sporty silhouettes, T-shirts, shoes, jewellery, bags and timepieces. Here’s to entering the Year of the Rabbit – Gucci style! Shop now.
LOEWE
Bring on Loewe’s Bunny bag, reinterpreted to represent the Year of the Rabbit by knotting its floppy ears over the house classic, it’s worn by actor Tang Wei in a classy campaign. With the festive ‘knot’ signifying human connection and good fortune among Asian societies, the Basket, Hammock and Pocket bags are given a special twist too. Not to mention the range of sweatshirts and tees on offer, the Bunny Charms, cute Bunny Candles, and red cut-out Bunny origami set. Shop here.
VALENTINO
Valentino’s latest collection is a tribute to Chinese culture. Through the use of its iconic Rosso colour the capsule is representative of the significance of red during the most important festival of the Lunar year. Rife with wardrobe essentials such as shirts, capes, dresses, shorts, skirts and knitwear – some in Valentino’s new Toile Iconographe – boots, bucket hats, bandeaus, bags and eyewear envisioned with Akoni, the collection emulates feelings of blessings, festivity and reunion. The Valentino Rosso Toile Iconographe collection is now available for purchase at all Valentino shops in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, as well as online. Shop here.
ACNE STUDIOS
Longevity, peace and prosperity: those are the core pillars of Acne Studios’ joyous Chinese New Year capsule collection. Created alongside French-Russian artist and ceramicist Apollinaria Broche on the heels of a former partnership from the AW21 runway, a lucky rabbit named Bun Bun, made by Broche, comes to the fore. He’s a zoomorphic character who can’t help but put a big smile on everyone’s face with its big floppy ears and endearing eyes. Evoking the gentle and likeable character of the rabbit with positive symbolism and charm, homeware, jewellery and a series of sculptures are on offer. Bun Bun hops into the edit as an enamel necklace charm, a single silver hoop earring, emblazoned across a large knitted blanket and poking its head out of the emblematic Musubi Bag. Starring Golden Horse winning-actor Vicky Chen in ready-to-wear pieces developed exclusively for the Year of the Rabbit, the campaign follows her on a day out in Beijing with Bun Bun by her side. The collection is available in stores worldwide and comes with a mini game available on WeChat from January 16.
Top Image: Photography by Max Siedentopf, courtesy of Gucci.
