Some people equate Chinese New Year with a reason to be on a holiday. We say Chinese New Year is one of the best excuses to shop thanks to the special capsule collections designer brands launch to mark the occasion. In the spirit of retail therapy and good fortune, here is our round-up of some of the most stylish Year of the Pig buys to spend on.
The brand turns to Looney Tunes icons Porky Pig and Petunia Pig as kitschy cute embroidery for a limited edition series of eight ready-to-wear items and accessories. The reason behind creative director Jeremy Scott’s choice of this duo as the collection’s mascots? They represent the lovable, innocent, albeit shy and honest personalities of those born in the zodiac sign.
Auspicious red features prominently in the brand’s Chinese New Year capsule collection of leather goods, shoes and silks. The latter features a one-of-a-kind foulard that blends both the festive elements of a golden pig motif with spring’s blossoming flowers.
Clare Waight Keller takes a mystical approach for her first shot at designing a Chinese New Year capsule collection. The pig symbol, considered a sign of good luck and wealth, lands as a talisman on a necklace and bracelet and accented with a heart-shaped garnet. Meanwhile, ready-to-wear pieces and accessories in this collection come with a badass biker influence complete with prints of a winged pig.
The maximalist Italian pays tribute to the Year of the Pig with a 35-piece collection. Motifs of the animal – from the 1933 cartoon Three Little Pigs and Gucci’s own original pig design – ground the jaunty mood of the collection that spans pyjamas, sweatshirts, socks, T-shirts and leather goods.
Heritage brand Burberry has an inclusive take for its CNY capsule collection by creating items that are made for everyone in the family: classic trench coats, prepster pullovers, slogan hoodies and cutesy bag charms.
Contemporary Chinese artist Li Rui, who is known for his abstract landscape paintings, collaborated with Mulberry for a printed scarf design that decorates the handles of the brand’s chic Amberley satchel and Seaton top handle bag.
For a subtler nod to Oriental culture, this Rose des vents open bracelet by Dior features two red ceramic lacquer discs, one of which is adorned with the couturier’s lucky star.
For its Lunar New Year collection, the brand riffs on its obsession for vintage Americana and the Southwest by emblazoning a retro-style pig motif on selected items like a tote, T-shirt and hoodie.
Looking for a big touch of huat to your accessories? Marc Jacobs has updated its popular lines from the Shot family — cue the Snapshot camera bag and the Pack Shot backpack — in metallic gold and red and gold glitter.
American jewellery house Harry Winston pays tribute to the Year of the Pig with an eye-popping interpretation of its feminine Premier model. The 36mm ticker features a dial that has been adorned with marquetry of mother-of-pearl pieces in varying hues of red. A pig crafted from 18K rose gold decorates the bottom half of the dial and sports the traditional Chinese motif of magnolia flowers on its body.
Bottega Veneta’s trademark Intrecciato weave gets doused in auspicious colours like red, gold and orange for items like pig-shaped charms, sneakers and shoulder bags. Another special touch for the leather pattern is a three-dimensional and tactile finish given for items like phone cases, wallets and pouches which is achieved via a unique serigraphic printing technique.
Barcelona-based Indian artist Rithika Merchant is the brains behind Chloe‘s folksy illustration and prints. For Chloe’s Year of the Pig merchandise, Merchant returned to the same nature-inspired design and inserting whimsical pigs into the mix for a range of sneakers, T-shirt, sunglasses and bags.