LUXE START TO NEW YEAR
Michael Kors, Chinese actress team up for special collection
For Yang Mi, Lunar New Year is all about tradition.
“It is the most important date for me,” she says.
“My family, together, stays up late until midnight, when we (set) off firecrackers. Then, we go back home, make dumplings and have them all. It is very, very happy.”
The Chinese multi-hyphenate — she’s an actress, fashion model and social media star boasting more than 78 million followers on the online platform Weibo — uses the time surrounding the Spring Festival to take a break from her demanding film and travel schedule, to “relax” with those who matter the most.
“(It’s a) family reunion,” she says of the festivities.
“It is so happy for me to chat with my family.”
The holiday, which marks the start of the new lunar year, has also become a focal point for fashion brands, especially as the Chinese retail market continues to expand.
"The Asian market has become a key interest market for the Michael Kors brand,” designer Michael Kors explains.
“It continues to grow, and we find that the shoppers there really love the mix of glamour, sophistication and variety that they find in our stores — they can get everything from sneakers, to a sleek crossbody, to party dresses in one stop.”
The American fashion designer says it was with this interest in celebrating his growing Asian consumer base — the Michael Kors brand currently operates stores in Hong Kong, South Korea and Indonesia — coupled with his desire to celebrate the diverse cultures of his customer base, that originally prompted him to create a Lunar New Year collection.
“We have customers and employees all over the world,” he says. “And we like to take moments throughout the year to celebrate their lives, including their holidays and traditions.
“Lunar New Year is one of those moments.”
Mi, who was recently named an “ambassador” for the brand, expects the trend toward fashion brands embracing Chinese designs and influence to increase.
“Nowadays, more and more international fashion brands will consider Chinese elements into the design,” she says. “I think it is a very nice thing.”
For the Year of the Dog, Kors has released a comprehensive collection of products prominently featuring the colour red, which symbolizes joy and good fortune, as well as literal nods to the canine influence with pup-shaped accents and accessories.
“I like the red Cori handbag. The colour echoes to the atmosphere of Lunar New Year, and the size of the handbag is very practical,” Mi says of her favourite piece from the range. “And the other interesting element is the dog pin, which you can use on your handbag or anywhere else. It is so cute and delicate.”
Kors’ favourite piece is rooted in practicality — which may come as no surprise to his style supporters, as merging function and fashion is what the Kors brand has come to be known for.
“I don’t like to play favourites, but I think the Sloan wallet — especially in red with a chain link strap — balances glamour and sophistication very well,” Kors says when pressed. “Plus, it doubles as a bag, so it’s one of those pieces you can use for years to come.”
Or, at least until next Lunar New Year, when Kors will surely release a new collection of covetable pieces.