Luxury Brands Celebrating Qixi Festival with Love and Connection
As Qixi—the traditional Chinese Valentine’s Day—draws near, romance fills the air. Luxury houses are unveiling themed campaigns and exclusive collections to honour timeless love and the beauty of human connection.
Valentino
For Valentino’s 2025 Qixi campaign, Creative Director Alessandro Michele envisions a tender summer dreamscape. Shot by photographer Julie Greve, the campaign features actress Ren Min and model Zhao Zixiao wandering through a sun-drenched garden. Dressed in the brand’s Pre-Fall 2025 collection—lace, sequins, embroidered details, fitted tees paired with denim—the duo embodies an interplay of eras. Signature crossbody and tote bags appear in new forms, highlighting the versatility of the Nellcôte line and exuding poetic elegance.
Burberry
Burberry takes a refreshingly grounded approach with its Qixi campaign titled Love Arrives Unexpectedly. Eschewing typical luxury tropes, the campaign focuses on the unpredictability of real-life romance. Brand ambassador Wu Lei and global brand ambassador Zhang Jingyi portray two souls whose paths cross in tender, spontaneous moments—by the seaside and in a city park. The capsule collection, developed in collaboration with students and faculty from Donghua University, incorporates traditional knotting techniques embroidered onto T-shirts, poplin shirts, and shorts—infused with heartfelt blessings and symbolism.
Balenciaga
Balenciaga’s Qixi campaign invites acclaimed Chinese photographer Feng Li to bring its vision to life. Couples are captured intimately in iconic Shanghai locations, their unspoken connection transcending time and space. With dynamic camerawork and an urban, fast-paced rhythm, the campaign embraces the theme Frozen in Time. If the passage of time could be visualised, the campaign asks—could love be frozen in an eternal moment?
Prada
Prada rewrites an ancient love myth for the modern world, teaming up with brand ambassador Li Xian and actress Chen Haoyu. The campaign reimagines the origin story of Qixi—the tale of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, lovers separated by the Milky Way who reunite just once a year, as magpies form a bridge across the sky. In a poetic tribute, the campaign uses seven actual bridges in Shanghai—Zhejiang Road Bridge, Shanxi Road Bridge, Fujian Road Bridge, Wuzhen Road Bridge, Xizang Road Bridge, Waibaidu Bridge, and Yangpu Bridge—as narrative stages for their modern-day reunion.
Gucci
Gucci expands the meaning of Qixi beyond romantic love, celebrating affection, friendship, and the bonds that connect us. Brand ambassadors Wen Qi and Song Wenlong lead the campaign, joined by a circle of close friends wandering through scenic countryside and urban grandeur. Against the breezy summer backdrop, the group radiates warmth and authenticity. The cast showcases the season’s new hues of the GG Emblem collection and Gucci Diamante silver jewellery—quietly luxurious pieces that convey affection with effortless elegance.
