Since we’ve long adopted Mickey Mouse as a seasonal wardrobe star – thank you, Walt — maybe in a next Roaring Twenties 2.0 retail move, we’ll start celebrating Thanksgiving in Europe as well. Time to get your China Zodiac game on.
In the U.S., the holiday is generally referred to as Chinese New Year, but on a highly PC note, the term “Lunar New Year“ seems to be the more accurate description, given that the event is also observed by non-Chinese people. Fair enough.
A host of brands, both high-end and high-street, have in the past five to ten years red-circled a brand new date on their holiday calendars, namely one celebrated by more than one billion people annually: Lunar New Year.
From fashion inspired by rodents to clothing basted with turkey gravy. This is one groovy Temper Tasty!
2020 is the Year of the Rat, perhaps not the cutest animal Mother Nature has ever brought forth, but that hasn’t stopped fashion retailers from releasing rat-related merchandise: Gucci and Adidas Originals have both partnered with Disney on capsule collections that feature Mickey Mouse, arguably the most famous rodent in the world. Rag & Bone has a pizza rat sweater at a mere US$395 a pop, and Moschino released products with its Mickey Rat logo — which looks like Mickey Mouse but with a long jagged snout, aka the OG.
Related:
https://chinatemper.com/china/trending-rat-a-porter
Other retailers have opted to use more traditional motifs, like Nike, which has a series of subtly intricate shoe designs inspired by traditional Chinese paper cutting. Adidas got the party started with
Despite their best efforts, Western companies haven’t escaped the obvious critique (mostly coming in from Western consumers) that they’re commodifying a cultural holiday for their bottom line.
In addition to the Lunar New Year, brands have also capitalized on China’s Mid-Autumn Festival and the Muslim holiday Ramadan. Bravo.
Enlighten yourself to the max – Disney-Parade style — via Vox right here!
From Rats to Ramadan, season’s fashion greetings, y’all!
ORIGINAL Feature published by VOX, 2020. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ADDITIONAL EDITING BY ELSBETH VAN PARIDON FOR TEMPER MAGAZINE
FEATURED IMAGE: Nike, Chinese New Year of the Rat, 2020. Image via Nike
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Perpetually in pursuit of the greater good that is “China Fashion”, van Paridon set up The China Temper to help promote the dynamite dynamic fashion scene sprouting within Beijing, Shanghai, and China overall. Catering to anybody and everybody who reads English and/or Chinese, Temper covers all the basics and bases. From China's street style scenery to its budding photographers, internationally renowned designers, and underground quirks plus phenomena: We present one hot-hip-happening current collective weaving The New "Made in China" tag.
The term “Made in China” is undergoing the ultimate 21st Century makeover. Escorted by the increasingly strong influence of a new thinking among China’s younger generations, regarding individuality and the expression thereof, the fashion scene in the Middle Kingdom is exploding. And stretches far beyond what meets the eye. It’s appliqué, one might say.
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