Chinese New Year 2024

LUNAR NEW YEAR

The Lunar New Year marks the beginning of the first new moon in the Lunar Calendar and is celebrated across various Asian cultures such as China, Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore, each with its distinct customs and traditions. These celebrations occur in their own manner and at different times of the year depending on each culture. In this post, we will be focusing on the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration, which began on February 10th this year and extends for seven days of official holidays and festivities that culminate with the Lantern Festival on February 24th.

The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival in China, commemorates the onset of the first new moon in the lunisolar Chinese Calendar and it serves as a cherished period for families and relatives to come together, celebrate, and embrace traditions.

This new year 2024 is the year of the Wood Dragon, according to the Chinese Zodiac. “Dragon” not only symbolizes “Good Luck” but also power, strength, and wisdom. “Wood” on the other hand, represents vitality and creativity. Traditional elements such as wall hanging decorations, embroidery, knots, red envelopes, calligraphy, popular games such as Mahjong, as well as accessories and decorations crafted from Jade, all embody China’s rich cultural heritage and identity, bringing about good luck and prosperity for the new year.

GEN Z & DIGITALIZATION

Chinese New Year’s traditional and local celebrations appear to be expanding in influence globally each year due to the impact of social media on younger generations in particular. Digitalization has allowed the expansion in knowledge and reach of Chinese New Year celebrations, with content creators showcasing the festivities across their platforms. Social media networks themselves also embraced the celebrations by launching multiple activations throughout the holiday.?

This year, WeChat not only allowed users to exchange personalized digital "Hong Bao" (traditional Chinese red envelopes filled with money, symbolizing good luck and fortune) but included options for a personalized design, video, image, voice note or message when gifting money to loved ones, seamlessly merging tradition with the convenience of contemporary technology.?

Xiaohongshu introduced a hashtag challenge for the New Year, titled “A little red on the Year of the Dragon”. With already 54.000 posts on the platform, this initiative encouraged users to post their dragon and red-themed content throughout the month of February, while participating in the opportunity to win a lucky New Year’s gift. Another popular trend among Gen Z on the platform is the “Han Fu” (traditional Chinese clothing) movement around the world, where young Chinese influencers share content of themselves wearing a modernized version of these garments at various iconic landmarks worldwide, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, embracing their traditions and culture on a global scale.

On TikTok, influencers display their decorations, DIY projects, and preparations for the big day to welcome the Year of the Dragon in the most auspicious manner. Simultaneously, content creators share their traditional superstitions regarding actions to take and avoid on New Year's Day, as it is believed that these customs play a significant role in shaping one's luck and prosperity for the forthcoming year.

BRAND INITIATIVES

Confronted with the evolving demands and expectations of Chinese consumers during this Holiday, brands have recognized the necessity of aligning with these celebrations by crafting items specifically tailored for the occasion with significant traditional and cultural meaning, in order to establish genuine connections and fidelity with their target audience.?

This year, Tod’s partnered with the Chinese reality TV star Wang Yuheng to produce an animated short film commemorating the Year of the Dragon. The film showcases the nine sons of the King Dragon in Chinese mythology, reflecting the brand's commitment to exploring and embracing cultural heritage and traditions. The brand additionally unveiled a limited edition collection for the occasion, featuring products adorned with minimalist dragon motifs, aligning with the current popular trend of quiet luxury in China.?

Maison Valentino also created three short films titled “The Beggining of Red”, each exploring the origins of the lucky red color in New Year celebrations in China through the perspective of three distinct traditional Chinese cultural elements: red sticky rice cakes from Quanzhou, paper lanterns from Taizhou, and red seal ink from Hangzhou. Additionally, Valentino introduced a Lunar New Year collection entirely in red, drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese motifs.?

Bottega Veneta is another brand that welcomed this 2024 Dragon New Year with the debut of a captivating short film campaign titled "The First Sunrise with You." This initiative stars Shu Qi, a celebrated actress and ambassador for the brand. Complementing this cinematic endeavor is a limited capsule collection showcasing their iconic bags in a variety of textures, embellished with vibrant yellow and green accents reminiscent of a dragon's tail, imbuing the collection with a mystical and captivating allure.

Loewe's Jade Collection, created in collaboration with Chinese master artists Xiaojin Yin, Qijing Qiu, and Lei Cheng. Through their skilled handcrafting, the collection features intricately carved jade pendants symbolizing luck and abundance, alongside the popular Flamenco Purse Mini adorned with precious jade accents.?

Many fragrance brands also encapsulated the essence of the Chinese Lunar New Year with limited edition releases, showcasing a beautiful fusion of fragrance and artistic collaboration. Diptyque's L'Eau Papier limited edition Eau de Toilette pays homage to the Chinese tradition of sharing wishes on paper, its packaging featuring a delicate calligram by calligrapher Ao Hei symbolizing love and good fortune. Byredo joined forces with Chinese ceramics studio KAE to craft an exquisite porcelain home collection inspired by festive gatherings, evoking imagery of Tang Dynasty poets brewing tea amidst snowfall. Meanwhile, Guerlain 2024 Millésime Bee Bottle adopts a sumptuous dragon motif by Parisian jeweler Francesco Truscelli.?

On the other hand, sustainability has emerged as a key consideration for younger Chinese generations when making purchasing decisions. Consequently, brands are leveraging the Holiday to communicate their sustainability messages. For example, the Italian luxury designer retailer, Luisaviaroma, collaborated with Sean Wu, a Chinese contemporary artist and designer renowned for his focus on sustainability, to craft an immersive Chinese New Year in-store installation of dragons made out of bamboo, a important symbolic of Chinese virtues.?

From short films to jade, calligraphy, ceramics, and jewelry, these collaborations exemplify a harmonious celebration of the New Year. They seamlessly merge cultural identity, traditions, and aesthetics with elegance and creativity, without leaving aside the significant factor of sustainability.

However, brands can also sometimes miss the mark by simply repackaging their star products in new red packaging without a necessary touch of innovation and symbolism. These initiatives are often met with skepticism from Chinese consumers, primarily due to their doubts surrounding the brands' genuine commitment to the true significance of these celebrations. Consumers have taken to social media to share their thoughts regarding these initiatives, seen as attempts to capitalize on the occasion.

Therefore, brands must carefully strategize and develop creative, innovative ideas to capture the attention of their increasingly demanding and knowledgeable consumers, who are constantly looking for original and thoughtful creations. Embracing Chinese New Year celebrations does not stop at incorporating dragons or the color red into their products, but also diving into the traditions and cultural significance of this festive occasion.

Sources: South China Morning Post, Kadence International, DScene Magazine, Fashion Network, Jing Daily, Tatler Asia, Tod’s, Valentino, Who What Wear, TikTok.