Advertisement

What is Qi Xi Festival and how luxury brands are embracing the event

(PHOTO: Getty Images)
(PHOTO: Getty Images)

Our editorial team is dedicated to finding and telling you more about the products and deals we love. If you love them too and decide to purchase through the links below, we may receive a commission. Prices were correct at the time of publication.

This Saturday (14 August) happens to be Qi Xi Festival – one of the Chinese traditional festivals most commonly referred to as Chinese Valentine's Day – which takes place on month seven, day seven of the Chinese lunar calendar. The festival is based on a romantic folklore about a weaver goddess and an ox herder, originating from the Han dynasty.

Let's rewind back to the story, where Zhi Nu, a goddess who was known for her weaving skills, decided to enter the mortal world and stumbled upon a cow herder by the name of Niu Lang. The duo fell in love and started a family together, but when Zhi Nu's mother, the queen mother of heaven, found out about their marriage, she grew mad and snatched Zhi Nu back to the heavens.

In today's modern times, people celebrate the Qi Xi Festival by giving flowers, gifts and chocolates instead of following traditional customs.

On May 20, 2015, the Qi Xi Festival was added to the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list by the State Council of China. In some rural parts of China, you may even most likely find these traditional customs practised, such as speedily threading a needle under the moonlight; worshipping the weaver fairy with fruits and food offerings; and picking up wildflowers to place on the horns of the ox to honour the legendary cow-god.

In today's modern times, people celebrate the Qi Xi Festival by giving flowers, gifts and chocolates instead of following traditional customs.

Many fashion brands have been jumping on the bandwagon of embracing the Chinese Valentine's Day by offering shoppers limited-edition drops, thus commercialising the romantic festival in hopes of increasing consumer spending within the luxury industry.

Fall in Love campaign. (PHOTO: Louis Vuitton)
Fall in Love campaign. (PHOTO: Louis Vuitton)

Most brands have also chosen to roll out their marketing campaigns just a month ago, take for example Gucci. A quick search shows most of Gucci's 'apple of my eye' apple print collection is even sold out on Net-A-Porter.

Meanwhile, Dior is working with their ambassadors Angelababy and Yang Caiyu to promote the Diorarmour love-themed collection on their Chinese social media platforms.

For Louis Vuitton, the maison is leveraging their ambassadors Dilraba, actress Liu Haocun and singer Xu Jiaqi, to show off leather goods, fragrances, accessories, ready-to-wear and shoes in hues of red and pink paired with the classic Monogram as part of its 'Fall in Love' campaign.

Shop these Chinese Valentine's Day curated list now.

Gucci printed coated-canvas and glossed-leather shoulder bag, approx. S$1,486

Gucci. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter)
Gucci. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter)

Gucci's shoulder bag has been crafted in Italy from the brand's iconic monogrammed coated-canvas and appliquéd with a logo-stamped glossed-leather heart.

Salvatore Ferragamo Vara bow bracelet, S$226

Salvatore Ferragamo. (PHOTO: Farfetch)
Salvatore Ferragamo. (PHOTO: Farfetch)

This iconic bracelet comes in a soft pink colour.

Love Moschino heart-shaped logo crossbody bag, S$234

Love Moschino. (PHOTO: Farfetch)
Love Moschino. (PHOTO: Farfetch)

Carry this 'heart' from day to night.

Off-White Red Marker hoodie, S$675

Off-White. (PHOTO: 24S)
Off-White. (PHOTO: 24S)

Take this hoodie with you, everywhere you go.

Alber's Love Note gold-tone earrings, approx. S$215

AZ Factory. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter)
AZ Factory. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter)

AZ Factory's earrings depict sweet love notes handwritten by the late Alber Elbaz himself. They're cast from gold-tone metal that's polished to a high shine and stenciled with romantic iconography.

Veja Esplar leather sneakers, approx. S$161

Veja. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter)
Veja. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter)

This 'Esplar' pair is made from white leather with contrasting burgundy heel tabs and 'V' appliqués on each side.

Saint Laurent Monogram logo matelassé leather wallet, S$485

Saint Laurent. (PHOTO: Selfridges)
Saint Laurent. (PHOTO: Selfridges)

This press-stud fastened wallet opens to reveal four card slots, while the star of the show comes in the form of the Parisian powerhouse's signature interlocking monogram.

Chopard Happy Hearts 18ct rose-gold and diamond pendant, S$3,299.07

Chopard. (PHOTO: Selfridges)
Chopard. (PHOTO: Selfridges)

Crafted from 18ct rose gold, this pendant displays an elegant duo, with one red gemstone heart and a smaller heart that contains the signature Chopard moving diamond as a celebration of love.

MCM Mini Delmy leather shoulder bag, S$740

MCM. (PHOTO: Selfridges)
MCM. (PHOTO: Selfridges)

If any label ever embodied logomania, it’s MCM, with designs that centre around that iconic branding, like the Mini Delmy shoulder bag.

Comme Des Garçons Play x Converse 70s canvas low-top trainers, S$210

Comme Des Garçons. (PHOTO: Selfridges)
Comme Des Garçons. (PHOTO: Selfridges)

Taking the streetwear brand’s cult favourite Chuck Taylors, the duo embellishes the outside with an oversized googly-eyed heart – originally designed by Polish artist Filip Pagowski to signify his relationship with Rei Kawakubo.

Red (V) rose-print bag, approx. S$640

Red (V). (PHOTO: Farfetch)
Red (V). (PHOTO: Farfetch)

Red (V) combines rose motifs with a point d'esprit mesh-effect to create this tote bag. Made from smooth calf leather, the mini accessory provides small proportions with maximum style.

Watch more Lifestyle videos here: