This year, Chinese New Year celebrations overlap with Valentine’s Day, so brands have to pick how to optimize the launch of their capsule collections. Some have launched one collection choosing a festivity over the other, other brands have launched different collections across product categories to celebrate both. Who will win the hearts of consumers?
We will see.
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Social media have been populated by short movies showcasing the collections and wishing for a new year different from the one we are leaving behind.
Among the brands releasing collections, here are the ones which caught our attention, especially in terms of marketing campaigns and engagement of film makers.
Burberry
The exclusive Chinese New Year collection includes trench coats and sports-inspired garments that reworked its Thomas Burberry Monogram in honour of the Year of the Ox, a sign associated with the earth: powerful and calm.
In addition to the Chinese New Year 2021 capsule collection, Burberry produced a 6-minute film, “A New Awakening”, directed by Hong Kong film director Derek Tsang, featuring characters on a journey of discovery and renewal, framed by the five senses.
Moncler
Moncler collaborates with the Chinese photographer Leslie Zhang on a winter-ready outerwear collection campaign for the Lunar New Year.
Inspired by the Chinese culture and the zodiac Ox, Zhang integrates elements of Chinese martial art, as well as traditional Chinese architectures into the New Year campaign, highlighting Moncler’s classic puffer jackets.
Bally
Collaborating with the Italian artist and filmmaker Virgilio Villoresi, Bally enters the new year with a short film entitled “Journey of the Travelling Ox” that follows the golden ox from snow-covered mountain tops to the glittering skyline of the city at dusk.
For this year’s exclusive collection, the luxury fashion house introduces a series of its signatures bags with a touch of Swarovski’s crystals.
Balenciaga
The Balenciaga “Year of the ox” collection includes a wide range of men’s and women’s ready-to-wear pieces printed with an all-over Balenciaga logo design
featuring the Chinese character.
Animations created especially for the WeChat mini program by artist Eamonn
Freel use the collection’s iconography to present game-like scenarios, matching
baby oxen and capsule products. Rows and columns stack and fall to create
satisfying alignments that echo the holiday’s traditions of gifting and good luck.
To celebrate Valentine’s, a dedicated mini site will launch on the same day.
The mini site offers a selection of free digital Valentine’s Day cards. Heart-shaped frames, in single and double format, capture a person’s face or a couple’s faces using their device’s camera. The framed photos can be saved and sent or shared online.
Michael Kors
Inspired by classic Chinese cinema and to celebrate the spirit of togetherness and family love, the Lunar New Year capsule collection features a series of Michael Kors’ most-loved bags in special edition of Red and Black Tweed.
Tory Burch
To celebrate the Lunar New Year in a more fun and creative way, Tory Burch introduces Ozzie the Ox that is featured on the special capsule collection for the festival.
Moschino
To mark the occasion, Moschino’s Creative Director, Jeremy Scott, has released a 16-piece limited edition capsule collection. Encompassing dresses, t-shirts, sweaters, trousers, as well as bags, scarves and iPhone cases, the collection features a cartoon style ox, reanimated from the brand design archives. Predominantly red and gold, the collection celebrates the auspicious colors of happiness, and good fortune for the new year.
For the occasion, Moschino launched a Wechat game to engage the followers and enhance its omnichannel approach.
Dior
Instead of going with the traditional Chinese New Year color of red and gold, Dior decided to go in a different direction. The Chinese New Year 2021 limited edition collection features the hibiscus flower, also known as “Chinese Rose”, in an oriental aesthetics style.
As for Valentine’s Day, Dior launches a limited edition of Rouge Dior, the lipstick engraved with a bouquet of hearts.
Gucci
In celebration of the Lunar New Year and the 50th anniversary of a beloved Japanese manga and anime character, the luxury house Gucci introduces a special and playful collection featuring Doraemon. The special collection contains a series of product categories for both men and women.
For the occasion, special pop-ups will appear in different cities.
In collaboration with photographer Brad Elterman, Gucci presents an exclusive LOVE LOVE LOVE Fanzine, showcasing its Valentine’s Day collection.
Maison Margiela
Maison Margiela joins hands with the Chinese artist Nhu Xuan Hua on a series of short poems and drawings called the Ten Bulls that describe the stages of a Zen practitioner seeking enlightenment. The illustrations are dedicated to the Year of Ox and can be downloaded on WeChat.
Perfect Diary
The Chinese cosmetics brand Perfect Diary collaborates with Chinese National Geography on a special edition of eyeshadow palette.
Venchi
Venchi Chocolate joins the spring celebration with a wide selection of Chinese New Year gift boxes in all shapes and sizes that are neatly wrapped with floral designed packaging in the iconic Chinese New Year colors, red and gold. Inside houses a sizeable collection of the Italian chocolatier’s iconic chocolates.
As for Valentine’s Day, instead of focusing on celebrating romantic love, the chocolatier adopted Japanese culture of celebrating love in all of its forms, whether it is love for family, friends or colleagues.
Nike
Sneaker brand Nike celebrates the day of love with hidden messages on two of its sneakers, Air Force 1 and Air Max 90. Each of these two sneakers showcase in white, pink and red. The letter “i” in “Air” is changed to a small heart, while at the tongue of both sneakers, hidden messages of “ME+AM90=TRUE LOVE” and “AM90 4EVER” are shown on the Air Max 90 and “TRUE LOVE SINCE 82” is on the Air Force 1.
Skecher
Skecher joins hands with the muralist James Goldcrown on a special collection that features Goldcrown’s iconic Love wall heart design. The artist’s colourful and creative prints are featured on a range of products from sneakers to apparel.
Swatch
Instead of saying love with flowers or with words, the watch brand proposes to say it with emojis. Swatch’s new Valentine’s special collection is in white, featuring a red love letter on the dial. Its calendar wheel is covered with emojis to show how many ways there are to express love.
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Looking forward to review their performance and the social media reviews.