Millions around the world are gearing up for Chinese New Year on Sunday 22 January – and the arrival of the much-coveted Lunar New Year fashion collections. 2023 marks the Year of the Rabbit, the luckiest of the 12 animals of the zodiac, said to symbolise peace and prosperity. From Gucci and Burberry to Louis Vuitton and Ferragamo, luxury fashion houses have created limited-edition lines to celebrate the occasion, incorporating traditional Chinese colours as well as the emblem of the rabbit. Here, we’ve rounded up the best Lunar New Year fashion pieces to buy now.
LUNAR NEW YEAR FASHION COLLECTIONS
Louis Vuitton
The French maison focused on accessories for their Lunar New Year fashion collection, featuring everything from scarves and necklaces to beanies and key rings. Many of the pieces follow the traditional red New Year colour scheme – which symbolises prosperity and good luck – but there are other shades featured too, including a soft pink and maroon. Many of Vuitton’s classic motifs, like their iconic monogram, have been given a playful update – the Precious Rabbit LV Essential Scarf features a cute leather bunny patch to capture the occasion’s joyful spirit, while the leather keyring, which has been designed as an earpods case, is topped with floppy bunny ears.
Gucci
Gucci has form when it comes to their eye-catching Lunar New Year campaigns – last year’s shots featured a real-life prowling tiger and this year they’ve taken to a vivid technicolour field filled with hopping bunnies. The ethereal campaign was captured by Namibian-German artist Max Siedentopf and features a group of friends frolicking amongst vibrant fuchsia and flaming red flowers along with some fluffy white rabbits. Highlights from the collection include a multicoloured striped wool bunny print jumper and a chic crimson and camel pleated chevron silk skirt.
Burberry
The British label’s capsule collection champions the spirit of ambition this Lunar New Year, with a campaign directed by Shanghai-based filmmaker Zika Liu featuring actors Qi Xi and Shi Pengyuan and sportswoman Zhao Lina cast as characters on a journey to discover their calling. Posing against the backdrop of mountains and grass-covered hills, the limited-edition collection features the instantly-recognisable Thomas Burberry monogram reimagined with bunny ears.
Acne Studios
For the Year of the Rabbit, Acne Studios has teamed up with French-Russian artist Apollinaria Broche to create a light-hearted capsule collection of homewares and jewellery. Best known for her ceramic sculptures, Broche has created a unique new character for the campaign, Bun Bun, a lucky pink rabbit. The campaign stars Golden Horse winning-actor Vicky Chen in the role of Bun Bun’s best friend, as the two spend a day out exploring in Beijing. You’ll also find him splashed across a giant knitted blanket and dangling from a chain necklace and hoop earrings, the sweetest emblem of this joyous occasion.
Ferragamo
The Italian fashion house offers one of this year’s most elegant takes on the theme, with silk blouses and scarves and small leather goods designed by Creative Director Maximilian Davis himself forming the basis of the collection. The white rabbit – or more specifically, its bright red eyes – were the inspiration for the pieces, and you’ll find high impact graphics of giant crimson eyes across T-shirts and bags. There are also silk shirts and scarves featuring a pretty peach blossom print, for a more classical New Year approach.
Givenchy
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Disney and the Year of the Rabbit, Givenchy has released a capsule Lunar New Year fashion collection of casualwear pieces featuring Oswald the Lucky Rabbit – Mickey Mouse’s predecessor. The cheerful cartoon bunny adorns jumpers, shirts and shorts, as well as denim jackets and bags, where Oswald and his girlfriend Ortensia can be seen gallivanting through Paris.
Self-Portrait
If you’re looking for a show stopping outfit to ring in the New Year, Self-Portrait has you covered. The label’s Lunar New Year fashion collection is a riot of texture and colour, with vibrant red crimson pieces, party-ready accessories and designs that nod to the traditional cheongsam, a staple of Chinese fashion. A multi-generational campaign shot by British Chinese photographer Alexandra Leese captures the holiday’s spirit of togetherness, while also showcasing the signature Guipure lace, crepe and bouclé pieces that the brand’s founder Han Chong has designed.
