You know Chinese New Year’s important when big global brands, luxury ones especially, are coming up with dedicated collections that cater to the Lunar calendar — heck, with the amount of capsule collections flooding our Inboxes, it’s already eclipsing the (overly) commercial hype of Valentine’s Day. How’s that for a lunar eclipse?
While you might think the mass pandering’s a bunch of hogwash, don’t snort just yet! The less cynical side of us can at least be glad that the East is finally getting the recognition it deserves, beyond the whole Oriental fetish of yesteryear. (oh wait that’s just last year — we’re looking at you D&G).
Drama aside, you might be surprised at how some brands are interpreting the ‘Year of the Pig’, whether it’s tongue-in-cheek references, subtle plays of colour, or the downright bizarre. Genius, or simply lipstick on a pig? You decide. Gather ’round friends, as you would for reunion dinner, and feast your eyes on these!
THE UNEXPECTED
Gucci
Is it weird? Yes. Why are these pigs traipsing around New York City? We don’t know either. What we do know is that Alessandro Michele’s strange mind usually works for the good of the brand, and in this case, it’s so awkward that it works. As for Gucci’s Chinese New Year collection itself, the motifs come inspired by Disney’s Three Little Pigs, which explains the embroidered patches you’ll see across some of their bestselling accessories.
Made to be collected, especially with that signature GG style, it looks like there are plenty of options here you can show off. A pair of Ace sneakers make for a versatile piece you can stunt all year, while everyone’s favourite Gucci t-shirt is now given a cute piggy twist. More ready-to-wear options include snuggly sweaters, cardigans and jackets.
Gucci ‘The Year of the Pig’ collection, available at Gucci boutiques and online. More here.
Moschino
Things get a bit Looney over at Moschino, and you bet Jeremy Scott’s got his eye on yet another pop culture collab! This time, he’s leaning towards the obvious, but we don’t mind — non-Gen Z folks would fondly recall Porky Pig and Petunia Pig from Warner Bros.’ Looney Tunes cartoons, though this time they’re given a playful makeover in Moschino’s glam-meets-streetwear aesthetic.
See, high fashion can be pretty relatable too (if you’ve got the bucks). Get ready to sport oversized t-shirts, hoodies and denim jackets which feature the lovable characters — and for those with a keen eye for detail, you’ll notice that the back of these garments also include the same characters, just with their back turned towards you too. Very cute. All that’s left to say is… Th-th-th-that’s all folks!
Moschino Chinese New Year capsule collection, available at Moschino stores and online. More here.
Givenchy
As we mentioned earlier in our CNY bag feature, there’s plenty of appreciation going around for Clare Waight Keller’s vision of biker-chic iconography for ‘Year of the Pig’; we’d like to think it’s a smart play on Hog heads, the much beloved nickname given to Harley Davidson riders. In mostly black, and with flaming wings, the entire collection may not seem auspicious but it’s definitely badass — out to annoy your relatives, anyone?
The Givenchy treatment mainly consists of pigs with wings and striking blue-and-red flames that recall imagery of hardcore bikers. The rock-and-roll motifs continue with block letters, but if you’re desperate for some semblance of the Chinese New Year spirit, a safer bet would be the gold-finished necklace and bracelet with a red garnet that symbolises passion and strength.
Givenchy ‘Flying Pig capsule collection, available at Givenchy stores and online. More here.
THE CUTE
Longchamp
What do you get when putting together one of China’s most influential fashion bloggers with a fondly-loved bag silhouette? A highly popular collection! Consider this a cheeky spin on the most ubiquitous Longchamp bag — the Le Pliage Cuir’s been remixed, thanks to Mr. Bags, or Tao Liang, who’s quite the hit on Weibo and WeChat (obviously we’re downplaying his fame here).
What we’ve got is the Le Pliage Cuir top handle bag in black or pastel pink leather, with bold white lines that outline the very basic shape of a cartoon pig; from the front, this gets incredibly subtle as you’ll only notice a curved stroke and that curly tail. The thing that really got us though? Peep under the flap and you’ll find the tiniest fart — come on, this is a luxury label that can take a fart joke, what’s not to love?
Other variations include a transparent design with a snout coin purse, as well as a pouch that’s just the right size for your essentials.
Mr. Bags x Longchamp limited edition collection, available at Longchamp boutiques. More here.
Charles & Keith
Everyone’s favourite local accessories brand is gearing up for CNY with one of the cutest collections we’ve seen all season — in honour of the pig, of course! They’ve taken the whole zodiac approach with this one, keeping to a minimal colour scheme with plenty of white and pink, as well as some pops of red. Note: that pig-shaped clutch is already low in stock, online at least, so you’ll wanna act fast, especially since you know you’ll be getting all the praise when it’s tagging along during your house visits!
Elsewhere, the sandals make for quite the comfy slip-on shoes, especially with that illustrated base and cute detail of a pig-shaped loop. Any young mom won’t be able to resist being all matchy-matchy with their toddler too, and you can do just that with the kids’ and adult’s sneakers.
Charles and Keith ‘Year of the Pig’ collection, available at Charles & Keith stores and online. More here.
Chloé
For a less graphic take, try the whimsical prints of Chloé’s collection, dreamed up in collaboration with Barcelona-based Indian artist Rithika Merchant. Her painterly wear sees vines, flowers, and pigs coming together for a feminine vibe, often with the prints mirroring each other so that it resembles folklore mythology.
The boldest of the capsule pieces has to be both the Tess camera bag and Roy bucket bag, now in petite versions, with their white leather canvas lending itself very well to the colourful design. The sporty Sonnie sneaker’s given some time in the limelight as well, along with more everyday staples such as a t-shirt and grey jersey sweatshirt.
Chloé Chinese New Year Capsule Collection, available at the Marina Bay Sands boutique. More here.
Swatch
We often look forward to Swatch’s fun take on key occasions, and the Swiss watch brand certainly doesn’t disappoint with this year’s key watch, called the Gem of New Year. Even if you’re not born in the year of the pig, you can appreciate the auspicious notes they’re sowing with this standout piece — hues of red and gold, that we know represent good luck and prosperity, are present on both the ink-like pattern on the watch strap, and the brushed gold-coloured dial.
What’s more, the limited edition piece comes with just about the most adorable packaging ever! A red geometric pig that makes for a great gift or an even greater collectible, something that’ll spark joy for years to come.
Swatch ‘Gem of New Year’, available at Swatch stores and online. More here.
THE SUBTLE
Vans
So you’ve been rolling your eyes since the start of this article, because everything’s just say too in-your-face for your elevated taste — don’t worry, we’ve got something understated here. Vans’ series of sneakers is, surprisingly, rather subdued for a brand that’s usually pretty bold on their colourways and checkered designs, but we’ll take this one! This year, they’re partnering with Chinese designer brand Purlicue for exclusive pieces they’ve labelled “laid back, not lazy”. We’re definitely loving the off-duty vibes!
The idea of ‘Year of the Pig’ is at its most subtle, present first in the mix of colours; choose from either canvas and suede pink uppers over black outsoles, or white over red, both on the iconic Era and Sk8-Hi shoe styles. Other design subtleties include an exaggerated “Off The Wall” heel tab, the traditional Chinese greeting “The Fat Year” on Vans’ vulcanized waffle outsoles, as well as wide cotton shoelaces that look like floppy pig ears when leaning out the side.
Vans x Purlicue Year of the Pig collection, available at Vans stores. More here.
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