Hop till you drop

Stylish ways to celebrate the Chinese new year of the Rabbit

Lunar New Year begins on 22 January. And of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, this year the rabbit takes centre stage – it’s the year of the bunny!

Not to be dismissed as just cute and fluffy, the rabbit symbolises longevity, peace and prosperity. 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope – something we are all in need of.

And the bunny has inspired a wide range of products and collaborations this Lunar New Year: from Mulberry’s Miffy-adorned Bayswater bag & AirPods case to Loewe’s twist on its cult raffia basket bags (they have adorable bunny ears). Acne Studios has even enlisted the French-Russian artist Apollinaria Broche to create a capsule of accessories and homewares telling the story of a lucky pink rabbit named Bun Bun. Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana and Burberry have also hopped on the lapin-look trend.

A year of hope must also mean a year in red – China’s traditional good luck colour, understood to deter bad fortune. Ganni, Ferragamo and Dior’s collaboration with ERL have used red in their Lunar collections, perhaps seeking to inject some luck into this Lunar New Year.