Luxurious Gifts to Celebrate Love this Qixi Festival 2024

Hi Huneybees,

Qixi Festival, also known as the Double Seventh Festival or Chinese Valentine’s Day, is a beautiful celebration that falls on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. The enchanting legend behind this day tells the story of Zhinü, a weaver girl and daughter of a powerful goddess, and Niulang, a humble cowherd, two star-crossed lovers separated by the Milky Way.

As Qixi Festival draws near on August 10, 2024, luxury brands are rolling out their most romantic and innovative campaigns to help you celebrate love. Here are some special treats you might want to consider for your loved ones.

Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta pays homage to the Qixi origin story with imagery featuring bridges and water, symbolizing connection and encounter. Known for its focus on movement, the Maison's signature Intrecciato leather weave embodies this theme. The Qixi capsule collection highlights the Orbit trainers, an exclusive edition of the Kit bag, and a charming heart-shaped Solstice bag, celebrating the festival with elegance and meaning.

Photo Credits: Loewe

Loewe

Loewe has introduced a Qixi collection featuring charming hedgehog motifs on accessories and specially designed bags like the Puzzle Fold Tote and Pouch. This launch is complemented by an animated short film, "A Tale of Catching Stars," which tells the heartwarming story of two love-struck hedgehogs, the main characters of the collection. To celebrate the Qixi festival's cultural significance, the exclusive pieces are showcased alongside durians and lotus flowers, traditional symbols of the festival. The Lovestruck collection includes limited-edition colorways in Dark Burgundy, Sahara, and Spring Green for the Puzzle Fold Tote, Tote Mini, and Pouch.

Photo Credits: Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co. has partnered with Tmall Super Brand Day to launch the new Tiffany Lock series two-tone gold half-pavé diamond small necklace, available exclusively online at the Tmall official flagship store for Qixi Festival.

Inspired by a gold padlock brooch designed by Tiffany in 1883 for a loving couple, the Tiffany Lock series captures simple and pure lines from everyday objects, symbolizing the deep meaning of “guarding precious things, nurturing beloved ones.”

For this special occasion, Tiffany & Co. has also teamed up with the media platform Yitiao in China to produce a touching series of short films titled "Guarding, as a Way of Love." These films explore four modern dimensions of love: romantic love, friendship, family, and self-love. The first episode shares the story of designer couple Li Yeye and Yan Yan and their enchanting island garden..

Photo Credits: Burberry

Burberry

In homage to the romance of the Qixi Festival, Burberry has introduced a new design featuring two swans intertwining to form a heart, symbolizing love and commitment. This romantic motif adorns a range of items, including T-shirts, silk scarves, a dress, a cardigan, and the Rocking Horse bag in the season's new colorway, soap.

The swan-adorned collection is complemented by an animation from filmmaker Ellis Ka-yin Chan, reflecting the motif with cartoon lovers framed by intertwining swans. The couple in the animation are dressed in matching ensembles from the new collection.

Photo Credits: Versace

Versace

Versace has unveiled its Qixi Festival campaign featuring Global Brand Ambassador Cai Xukun (蔡徐坤). The Italian brand’s latest campaign showcases Cai Xukun in stylish denim jackets adorned with iconic Medusa 95 logo accessories, perfectly capturing the essence of a midsummer vibe. The collection includes an array of fashion jewelry, featuring necklaces, bracelets, and rings, all designed to add a touch of Versace's signature glamour to your look.

Photo Credits: Fendi

Fendi

Fendi celebrates Chinese Valentine's Day 2024 with a vibrant and joyful campaign that embraces love in all its forms. The collection features an array of ready-to-wear items, including bags, shoes, and accessories for both men and women. Fendi's iconic pieces, such as the Baguette bag and Peekaboo Mini bag, are adorned with multicolored FF logo-embroidered canvas. These playful yet sophisticated designs are perfect for those who love a touch of whimsy in their style.

Photo Credits: Boucheron

Boucheron

French jewelry house Boucheron has teamed up with their global brand ambassador Xiao Zhan (肖战) for this year's Qixi Festival. This campaign features the Quatre collection, which was first introduced in 2004 and showcases four distinct architectural styles. Xiao Zhan is seen in the campaign wearing pieces from the Quatre Classique, Quatre Black, and Quatre Double White collections, highlighting personal style and authenticity.

Photo Credits: Balenciaga

Balenciaga

To mark the Qixi Festival, Balenciaga has introduced a special collection of ready-to-wear pieces. The campaign features couples Fei and Yi Xiangyu, Jiji and Ai, and Che Che and Li Jiage in various romantic settings around Shanghai. The collection showcases hand-drawn heart designs on a range of garments, including denim jackets, miniskirts, and the brand’s signature fit T-shirts and hoodies in black and pink.

Photo Credits: Montblanc

Montblanc

Montblanc embraces this year’s Qixi Festival with its “HeartWritten” initiative, offering a curated selection of gifts that add new chapters to enduring love stories. Among the standout offerings is a limited-edition writing instrument inspired by the captivating love stories in Jane Austen’s works. For luxury accessories lovers, Montblanc introduces a new raspberry pink leather goods collection and unveils the latest addition to its Bohème watch series, a timepiece that encapsulates the brilliance of a starry sky.

Photo Credits: Tory Burch

Tory Burch

Tory Burch is celebrating Qixi with a special capsule collection featuring heart-embellished bags, shirts, sneakers, and jewelry. Inspired by the timeless and simple essence of love, the collection updates classic T monogram pieces with mini heart-shaped studs. From T monogram bags to Clover Court sneakers, this collection is perfect for expressing your love and affection with a touch of elevated classic style.

Photo Credits: Moynat Paris

Moynat Paris

Moynat is teaming up with fashion stylist Lucia Liu for a special Qixi Festival collection. Inspired by traditional elements, the line features playful designs like albizia flowers, butterflies, and beans to celebrate love and joy. Key pieces include the BB Duo bags with leather bows, handcrafted in Paris. Liu’s collaboration adds star power, thanks to her fashion influence and work with top models and celebrities, boosting the collection's appeal.

Photo Credits: Qeelin

Qeelin

Fine jewelry brand Qeelin draws from ancient Eastern legends with its Wulu series, weaving a tale of romantic serendipity. The Wulu design, crafted from red agate, is set in 18K rose gold and adorned with round-cut diamonds, symbolizing “embracing love and abundant blessings.” This special edition seen on global ambassador Lay Zhang (张艺兴) includes necklaces and bracelets that convey a resilient promise of love and vitality.

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Jaeger-LeCoultre 

Jaeger-LeCoultre takes inspiration from its iconic Reverso watch series to explore the multifaceted nature of love and romance. The brand has collaborated with global ambassador, Chinese actor and singer Jackson Yee (易烊千玺), to release a special campaign named "The Rise: A Journey To New Heights." This campaign includes their first joint song, "Convergence from the Two Ends of Time," and a music short film as the promotional video. The video has gone viral, amassing over 18 million views on Weibo within four days and receiving rave reviews from netizens.

Photo Credits: Emporio Armani

Emporio Armani

Emporio Armani’s Qixi collection, also featuring Jackson Yee, is a refined tribute to love’s subtle details. The release includes a black tee with a single red horizontal line and a stylized XOXO, echoing on a matching track jacket. The red line symbolizes the Chinese "red thread" theory, which suggests an invisible red string connects destined lovers.

Photo Credits: Prada

Prada

Prada has unveiled a new collection of men’s and women’s clothing, along with subtle-tone handbags and accessories, for the Qixi Festival. The campaign, set in the ancient village of Xingxi, Huizhou, showcases traditional architecture and serene natural landscapes. Featuring actor and Prada ambassador Li Xian and model Xie Xin, the ad campaign elegantly bridges past and present as they wander through the village. Prada’s Qixi collection is available both online and offline.

Photo Credits: KENZO

KENZO

KENZO has introduced the KENZO Jungle Heart Collection, created by Artistic Director Nigo, as a tribute to the power of love. This Qixi unisex collection draws inspiration from Kenzo Takada's JUNGLE fashion, featuring T-shirts, windbreaker jackets, cardigans, and jewelry.

Nigo combines the brand's iconic tiger motif with an elephant, Kenzo Takada's favorite animal, to adhere to signature brand symbols. The two symbolic animals are depicted in an embrace, forming a "hug heart shape" that embodies the power of love, a motif present throughout all the clothing items. The collection also includes 'his and her' accessories, featuring a locket pendant and a rope bracelet to symbolize everlasting emotional bonds.

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Get ready to celebrate love this Qixi Festival with these exquisite offerings from some of the world's most luxurious brands. Whether you're looking for the perfect gift or simply want to immerse yourself in the romance of the season, these campaigns are sure to inspire and delight. Happy Qixi Festival!

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Qixi Fest 2023: A Month of Celebrations with Free Qixi Boat Tours, Activities & Finale Carnival

Hi Huneybees,

Qixi Festival (七节夕) is one of my favorite Chinese festivals as it comes with a very beautiful story background, a myth of two star-crossed lovers - the Cowherd (Niu Lang) and Weaver Girl (Zhi Nu) The story is derived from actual constellation movements - Altair and Vega, which both characters represent. There are a few variations to the story but it mainly goes like this... 

The Origin

Niu Lang came across seven celestial fairies bathing in a lake one day. His companion, a cow (who is actually the God of Cattle, sent down to Earth for violating Heaven's laws) suddenly talked and helped him get acquainted with the fairies as a favor return as Niu Lang once saved him. 

It encouraged him to steal their clothes while they are in the water and so, the fairies got the youngest amongst them, Zhi Nu, to go out and retrieve their clothes. They both fell in love and she agreed to his request to marry her. So, she stayed back on earth and have two children with him.

However, when the Empress of Heaven found out that her daughter had married a mortal, she is enraged. She forces Zhi Nu to return to heaven, leaving Niu Lang heartbroken. The cow then told Niu Lang to kill itself and wear its hide. This magical hide would allow him to go to the heavens to find his wife. Niu Lang reluctantly does so and goes to heaven with his two children to find Zhi Nu. 

The Empress of Heaven was enraged and used a hairpin to rip a wide river (the Milky Way) in the heavens to separate Niu Lang and Zhi Nu on opposite sides, never to be able to meet each other.

The lovers and the kids were weeping so bitterly, that some magpies took pity on them. They flew up to heaven and formed a bridge across the Milky Way, allowing the pair to reunite. This moved the Empress of Heaven and so she allowed them to meet once a year on the 7th day of the 7th month of each lunar year.

Opening Address by Kim Mui Hoey Kuan Clan (金门会馆 )representative and Qixi Fest Director Lynn Wong

Reviving Qixi Festival

This story has since evolved as the Chinese version of Valentine's Day and me being the horrible romantic believed so, but actually, it's a day when women will pray to the stars for a good marriage and also for the skills and wisdom to make them good wives. Thus the alternate name for the day - Qi Qiao Festival (乞巧节), meaning begging for skills.

During this day, there will be activities to do, girls will show off their needlework and eat a Qixi pastry called Qiaoguo, made from flour, sesame, and sugar. In Singapore during the mid-1800s, this festival was said to be even grander than the Chinese New Year! They even had parties that go up to 10 days!

The women formed sisterhood organizations called Seven Sisters' Associations, or Milky Way Associations, to celebrate the festival together. Qixi Festival was marked by grand public displays of handicrafts in Chinatown - especially those that involved Majies (妈姐, domestic servants) from the Shuntak region - but these traditions have faded into obscurity since the 1970s as many Majies began to retire and returned to their hometown. 

This year the Qixi Festival will be celebrated on 22 August 2023 but to bring back the hype after being forgotten for more than 50 years, there will be a celebration over the weekends from 7 July to 20 August. Clan associations, and community partners led by cultural researcher Lynn Wong have banded together to revive the festival in Singapore. You can look forward to 7 weekends of talks, workshops, exhibitions, and tours leading up to a mega two-day carnival at Smith Street, Chinatown on August 19 and 20.  

Qixi Fest 2023 Celebrations

In conjunction with the festival, there will be a plethora of activities such as free boat tours and trails, storytelling sessions, crocheting classes, heritage cooking, and demonstration workshops. Most of the Qixi Fest programs are free with a few being ticketed, more details here.

Qixi Fest’s finale event on 19-20 August 2023 is a mega carnival featuring cooking demonstrations of lost heritage foods, special art-in-action showcases with practitioners such as Andy Yeo who will be painting lanterns on the spot, and cultural music performances including guzheng orchestral music and a martial arts display!

Qixi Fest River Cruise
Go back in history as you listen to stories of female migrants as well as the Kinmen people whose boats once plied the Singapore River on this free Qixi Fest River Cruise.

The boat tours are held in collaboration with clan association partner Kim Mui Hoey Kuan (金门会馆) and will take you past key sites and monuments beginning and ending at the Clarke Quay Jetty. Taking place every Sunday from now till 20 August 2023 from 8 pm to 8.30 pm in English, and 8.30 pm to 9 pm in Chinese. There are a total of 12 free boat tours along the Singapore River, accommodating up to 30 pax per timeslot.  Along the way, you can hear stories of yester years and enjoy the scenery along the Singapore River.

*Participants with tickets should arrive 15 minutes earlier for registration. 
Dates of Boat Tours: 9, 16, 23, 30 July & 6, 13 August (Sundays)
English Guided Tour: 8pm to 8.30pm 
Chinese Guided Tour: 8.30pm to 9pm
Book your spots here.

Talks and Family-Friendly Workshops
Themed (Her)Story there will be free talks, panel discussions & exhibitions to celebrate the female migrant pioneers who brought the festival to Singapore in the 19th century; shining light on factory women who toiled in the graveyard shift and also the (mis)representation of Samsui women in media and the arts.

You can also experience hands-on what it is like preparing for the celebration back in the day through heritage food preparation workshops such as Majie Chilli biscuits (辣椒饼), Tung Ann (炸枣), and Meizhou Yam Balls (芋头圆). You can also pick up some new skills like calligraphy, Hanfu craftsmanship, harmonica playing, outdoor sketching and even riddle-solving!

Tickets can be purchased here.

Make-A-Wish Magpie
Magpies play quite a major role in the Qixi mythology, thus the mascot for Qixi Fest 2023  - QiQi (七七or seven seven). You can pen your wishes on paper magpies and help form a “Magpie Bridge” which will be an art installation displayed at the finale carnival, as part of the 1,000 wishes programme.

For a better chance of having your wishes fulfilled, you can also crochet or customize your very own magpie crochet plushie and let your hopes and dreams take flight (even if you have zero experience in crocheting). Psst, you can also keep your wish a secret by “safeguarding” it in the magpie.

The crotcheting workshop takes place on 22 July at 2 pm and 4 pm. 
More details and tickets can be found here.

Gather your friends and families and help revive this lost celebration!

See you there at the workshops and finale carnival!

Look out for these yummy Qixi inspired drink at the carnival ~

For more on Qixi Festival 2023, go to https://www.qixifest.com/.

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