Year of the Rabbit: 7 Brands hopping on Lunar New Year celebrations
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The Year of the Rabbit is upon us, a year that the Chinese zodiac has defined to be filled with luck, optimism and wit as we come into the new Lunar New Year on January 22. To celebrate such an occasion, a range of brands have unveiled a series of campaigns and collections that look to encapsulate this year’s theme, through the use of plenty of bunny ears and a cast of fluffy mascots.
Self-Portrait
Self-Portrait looks to celebrate the Lunar New Year with a dedicated collection and accompanying campaign directed by its founder and creative director Han Chong. The imagery aims to encapsulate family and friendship through images that attempt to display unity and shared rituals. Chong, and British Chinese photographer Alexandra Leese, said he wanted to embrace the intimacy of familial moments in tradition. In a release, he said growing up witnessing such rituals led him to always try and portray this holiday through his work.
The collection itself, which is available to shop on the brand’s website and in its global stores, offers looks for women and kids, including designs inspired by the cheongsam, a traditional Chinese dress style. Red is prominent throughout, and can be seen in a variety of materials, such as knitwear and Guipure lace. Additionally, Self-Portrait’s Bow Bag has been reimagined in the season’s festive colours – red, gold and silver.
Maje
French luxury brand Maje took to the occasion with a campaign and collection designed in collaboration with Chinese illustrator Jiayi Li. It merges the artist’s distinctive work with influence from a selection of animations from Shanghai Animal Film Studio, such as the company’s ‘Havoc in Heaven’. For her own pieces, Li reimagined the brand into scenes of Chinese mythology, through depictions that referenced the annual holiday. The collection further aims to encapsulate the mood, with attire specially made for the spring season, as shown in knits, pastel hues and statement accessories.
Prada
With its campaign entitled ‘Memories of Beauty’, Prada looks to celebrate the year of the rabbit with imagery that is as clean cut as its collection. Modelling the pieces, the Italian luxury brand appointed a number of notable Chinese celebrities and influential figures, including model and actress Du Juan, singer Cai Xukun and actor Bai Yufan. The imagery was captured by Nick Yang, an upcoming photographer known for his surreal work, and sees each of the stars depicted next to tangible objects linked to their past. The theme of the campaign has been further emphasised through a WeChat project under the same title, allowing users to create their own custom portrait via a similar concept.
As part of the project, the brand has also released a selection of men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, bags, footwear and accessories, including the new Prada Moon bag, a rework of its 2000’s model. Among the menswear line, shoppers can purchase velvet garments, twill jackets, brushed leather footwear and branded accessories.
Missoma
This year, demi-fine jewellery brand Missoma has teamed up with Beijing-based creator Savislook on a range of accessories for Chinese New Year. While the 31 piece collection expands beyond styles for the holiday, those linked to the year of the rabbit can be seen in red chalcedony stones and gold plated materials, both of which are the traditional colours for the period. To showcase the selection, Missoma released a campaign featuring Savi herself, who sported individual items from the line in both imagery and a dedicated video.
Gucci
For the holiday, Gucci unveiled a campaign and collection that both celebrates the new year and the arrival of spring, through a capsule that fully incorporates the rabbit. Various depictions of the animal appear on colourful knitwear, t-shirts, shoes and watches, with pieces for both men and women each donning geometric graphics and contrasting hues. Among the collection are special renditions of signature Gucci handbags, including its Diana totes and Horsebit 1955 styles, each featuring leathers, tweeds and studs that tie in with the line.
The campaign itself was captured by Max Siedentopf and further emphasises the brand’s bold choice of colour in the setting of a dreamy meadow. Continuing the celebration, The collection will be available in select stores around the world and displayed in dedicated window displays and pop-ups inspired by the spray painted rabbit print that can be seen throughout the line.
Givenchy
Next to its own 100th anniversary, animation studio Disney partnered with Givenchy on a collection also dedicated to the Lunar New Year. The duo appropriately nominated archival Disney character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit as the mascot for the collection, bringing back Mickey Mouse’s precursor after a 95-year hiatus. Oswald remains a prominent motif throughout the collaborative collection, which contains collectible statement pieces and graphic basics for both men and women. The campaign itself, which can also be interacted with via social media initiatives, was produced alongside Julian Klincewicz, and sees the beloved animation and the house’s models take a tour of famous locations around the world.
Tommy Hilfiger
Miffy appeared to be a popular choice for this Lunar New Year, with Tommy Hilfiger being one of a number of fashion brands to collaborate with animated characters on a collection. For its own line, the PVH-owned label merged its signature American aesthetic with Miffy’s minimalism, resulting in a 50-piece selection that caters to men, women and children. Among the items are Miffy iterations of preppy classics, like the varsity jacket, collegiate sweaters and rugby shirts, each adorned with emblems and utilising primary hues. The brand said in a release that it wanted the line to portray the characteristics of the year of the rabbit, while embracing Miffy as the pop culture icon the animated rabbit has become to be known as.