How one of the lowliest creatures in western culture enjoys prominent position with brands and companies in 2020

Long before coronavirus and quarantines, temperature checks and flight restrictions, fashion brands were busily preparing for the Year of the Rat.

The anticipation had everything to do with how the rat would be portrayed; a creature that is not celebrated in the west, but has a special place among the zodiac symbols in the east.

In the song Bullet with Butterfly Wings, Smashing Pumpkins lead singer Billy Corgan croons:

"Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in the cage."

In the children's novel I was a Rat! or The Scarlet Slippers, British author Philip Pullman wrote:

"I don't like rats any more than the next bloke, but they ain't wicked and cruel like people can be. They're just ratty in their habits."

And in one of the most quoted insults in cinema history, Blonde Crazy star James Cagney utters the famous words:

"Oh, that dirty, double-crossin' rat. I'd like to get my own hooks on him. I'd tear him to pieces."

In the west, the rat holds a lowly place in culture.

Rats are the carriers of the bubonic plague, a source of widespread phobias and synonymous with untrustworthiness. 

In the Chinese zodiac, the rat — the first of the 12 animal signs of the Chinese zodiac — has serious star power. The rat represents wit, energy and a gift for getting things it wants.

Understandably, Chinese consumers having high expectations and cultural sensitivities when it comes to utilizing zodiac symbols for brands, and this year many companies have designed exclusive products to celebrate the Lunar Near Year.

"Some see it as pandering to the China, a tone-deaf signal to the market that sees brands simply slap a zodiac symbol on a t-shirt or bag," says Jimmie Jeremejev, managing director at LehmanBush. "Others see it as a reminder of how important the lunar calendar is for a whole lot of people around the world."

While the coronavirus has all but wiped out domestic spending over this year’s Chinese New Year, with cities closed, transportation cancelled and China on high alert, brands have nonetheless interpreted the Year of the Rat for their respective products. 

Below, LehmanBush looks at five brands that stand out.

Disney

The Mouse House is without a doubt the biggest winner, as Disney’s iconic Mickey Mouse logo is quite literally the best association to go with in the Year of the Rat.

Italian fashion brand Gucci teamed up with Disney for a series of clothing and accessories ranging from ready-to-wear to suitcases. The Gucci x Disney items celebrate the Chinese New Year, prominently featuring Mickey-inspired elements.

Keep in mind that while these fashion items may be Disney based, it's still Gucci, and the prices reflect that.

Vacheron Constantin

Swiss luxury watch and clock manufacturer Vacheron Constantin has an entire Chinese zodiac watch series of timepieces that commemorate the astrological signs. 

The company unveiled its Year of the Rat watch at the beginning of the year, which displays the hours, minutes, day and date via four apertures on the dial, and the rat prominently placed in the center.

The limited edition timepieces are available in either platinum or pink gold. 

Etro

Italian fashion house Etro went with the cartoon mouse Jerry from the hit show Tom and Jerry for a collection of clothes and accessories meant to celebrate the Year of the Rat.

The move gained a lot of exposure on Chinese social media, as a large number of Millennial and Gen-Z followers see the fashion collaboration as bringing back memories of childhood. 

TOM Shoes

Socially responsible shoe company TOMS added pairs of women’s shoes to its collection to honor the Year of the Rat. 

The white version features rows of rats wrapped around the exterior, while the navy version places one large rat on the toe, and lines the insides with the little creatures. 

TOMS’ business model is known as the “one for all concept,” which refers to the company's promise to deliver a pair of free shoes to a child in need for every sale of their retail product.

Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs’ and Stray Rats’ collaborated on a campaign to celebrate the Year of the Rat, releasing a collection that features sweaters, t-shirts and hoodies prominently placing those "who rule" New York City’s subways.

According to the companies, the graphics are meant to pay homage to Marc Jacobs’ line “Stinky Rat” from the early 2000s.

The two companies even decided to take the ultimate chance when it came to the marketing campaign, placing real rats alongside models.