Celebrate Lunar New Year 2020 with These Fashion and Beauty Gift Ideas
If you've hit a post-holiday slump just days into January, the good news is another new year is just weeks away. Lunar New Year, often also called Chinese New Year because of the traditional calendar, is happening alongside the new moon on January 25 in China, as well as elsewhere in Southeast Asia and beyond in surrounding weeks. Marking the celebrations are festivals around the world, an increased presence of the lucky color red, and plenty of collectible new products that celebrate both the holiday and 2020's Year of the Rat.
This is the perfect time to read up a bit more on traditions that happen this time of year in China and other Southeast Asian cultures, and astrology fans may want to start by learning their Chinese zodiac sign. If you're turning any multiple of 12 this year, your sign is in fact the rat, which means you're adaptable, smart, and set to have a year of especially good fortune in 2020. Regardless of your sign, though, everyone can join in on the celebrations with some Lunar New Year gift ideas. Capsule collections surrounding the holiday are a growing trend in the fashion world, as Gucci, Fendi, and more have designed new pieces—often rat-themed, but sometimes focusing on traditional colors like red and gold—to fête the moment and, hopefully, usher in some good luck for the coming year. If you're searching for Lunar New Year gift ideas or otherwise looking to sartorially celebrate, see the best of the holiday's fashion and beauty capsules below.
Gucci turned to their ongoing Disney collaboration to celebrate the year of the rat, releasing a series of pieces relating to everyone's favorite cartoon rodent, Mickey Mouse. In a campaign shot around Disneyland, models showed off a range of pieces showcasing the character, including logo sneakers, silk pajamas, and knits including the sweater Harry Styles wore on the men's cover of our Winter 2019 issue. With Disney+ having recently launched, there couldn't be a better time to fête the rat's big year with a little bit of Mickey magic.
Disney x Gucci wool sweater, $2,200, Gucci
Red and gold are the two colors that dominate Lunar New Year gift ideas, so Fendi created a capsule that celebrates both. Among featured pieces are several Baguette and Peekaboo bags in rose gold shades you'll want to carry all year round, as well as a series of red bags and wallets that depict an artful rat with a gold face.
Bi-fold wallet from the Chinese New Year Limited Capsule Collection, $450, Fendi
While we're still waiting on the album we were promised in 2019, Rihanna did ring in 2020 by dropping a special set that makes for the perfect Lunar New Year gift idea. The limited-edition package features Fenty Beauty's iconic Stunna universal red lip, along with a Killawatt highlighter in versatile shades of rose and gold. The products will keep you feeling festive while celebrating, then continue to look great for long after, especially when worn alongside RiRi's new mascara.
Stunna New Year Highlighter + Lip Set: Lunar New Year Edition, $50, Sephora
Off-White doesn't want you to just celebrate Lunar New Year. Instead, in typical Virgil Abloh style, it's "Lunar New Year." Anyway, the brand is celebrating the "Year of the Rat" with a collection full of red pieces, Chinese zodiac symbols, and a lot of "Good Luck." Featuring peach blossoms, which represent romance, prosperity, and growth, the bags have a strong chance of fulfilling their proclaimed wishes.
Lunar New Year print tote, $1,090, Off-White
Prada is highlighting Chinese tradition this Lunar New Year, as their campaign captures model Chun Jin and her real family members reuniting for the holiday. The family decorates their home and gathers for a feast before enjoying fireworks, creating a moment that's heartfelt and reminds us all of the holiday's roots. Accompanying this, Prada reimagined its iconic triangle logo on several products, including a designer AirPods case. Why might this be the most practical Lunar New Year gift idea of them all? This way, you can celebrate the year of the rat by not letting your earbuds fall into the subway with the rats.
Earphone case with shoulder strap, $460, Prada
If you live in the northern hemisphere, Lunar New Year falls in the dead of winter. That means all too many festival attendees will be celebrating in the cold (well, maybe—climate change has made this a giant question mark). If you're going to need a coat out there, why not be festive about it? Mackage has you covered with red and gold puffers, each of which features "2020" on the sleeve. As most people hide their holiday looks under their regular outerwear, they'll all be asking you where you got that coat.
Tory leather down jacket with hood, $1,190, Mackage
Just like on New Year's Eve, sparkle and shine are essential to ring in the Lunar New Year. This highlighter from Too Faced comes in year of the rat-themed packaging, and the product inside seems sure to keep your beauty look strong through music festival season, as well.
Lunar New Year Diamond Light Highlighter, $36, Sephora
In a world where Pizza Rat and the like have gone viral, it can be hard to convince people that a rat can be chic. Yet somehow, Chloé has done so with its year of the rat creation, which makes for a great Lunar New Year gift idea. In its capsule, the brand included a white calfskin mini bag that features an artful rat amidst red and gold spray paint. It's a sophisticated way to celebrate the holiday and will make for a fun spring bag later on.
Chloé C mini bag in shiny calfskin, $1,690, Chloé
If you're looking to bring Chinese New Year's lucky colors to your beauty look, why not do so with a new eyeshadow palette? Makeup mother herself, Pat McGrath, has released a limited-edition mini Mothership palette that's ready to help you get festive. The shades are just as fun as the red, glittery packaging, featuring gold and warm tones alongside a few complementary neutrals.
MTHRSHP Sublime: Golden Opulence Eyeshadow Palette, $65, Sephora
Burberry's Chinese New Year collection has a huge focus on lucky red. Aiming to usher in joy, health, and happiness, the brand has released a capsule that features both chic tailoring pieces and streetwear favorites. The rat makes an appearance in Riccardo Tisci's redesigned TB logo on several pieces, including this silk scarf.
Monogram Motif Silk Square Scarf, $420, Burberry
Trying to go all out for your celebrations, or need a fun Lunar New Year gift idea? Colourpop hasn't just released a small set to celebrate the year of the rat; instead, they've made an entire collection. Featuring a trio of lucky (and classic) red lipsticks, peach and gold highlighters, and a white tea face milk, this covers all the bases of good fortune while enhancing your natural glow to boot.
Lunar New Year collection, $48, Colourpop
Why not bring on the luck with a little bit of luxury? Louis Vuitton has a whole Lunar New Year collection featuring plenty of house codes on bags, scarves, and more (plus, their red AirPods go perfectly with all of it). But one of the collection's most festive highlights is the jewelry. In particular, three stackable rings—red, gold, and pavé diamond—come together to make a decadent statement.
B Blossom Ring, Pink Gold, White Gold, and Diamonds, $3,600, Louis Vuitton
If you want an ultra-chic Lunar New Year gift idea for the beauty junkie in your life (or yourself), look no further. This limited-edition lip treatment oil from Hourglass features both red and gold, but in the most subtle ways: the product itself is red, while 24K gold features on the applicator. Just using the oil is a luxurious experience, and once you put it on, you'll achieve a flattering look while giving your lips a slew of benefits, including vitamins and essential oils. That seems lucky, indeed.
No. 28 Lip Treatment Oil (2020 Lunar New Year Edition) - At Night, $49, Hourglass Cosmetics
For its take on Lunar New Year, Coach looked to luxurious shades of red. The lucky color appears in something for everyone, from the brand's signature bags to mouse keychains to horse and carriage print pieces, including this skirt. With Coach having kept its focus on what it does best, the capsule's offerings will largely work for fall and winter wardrobes as a whole.
Lunar New Year Horse And Carriage Print Pleated Skirt, $450, Coach
Just like Gucci, cult-favorite skincare brand SK-II looked to Mickey Mouse when it came to celebrating the year of the rat. It's the same lightweight treatment that fans know and love, using the Pitera essence's multipurpose cocktail of micro-nutrients. This would be great whether you need some Lunar New Year gift ideas or are simply trying to restock, as nothing has changed about the effects, but you get some fun Disney packaging to complement the skincare magic.
Disney Mickey Mouse Limited Edition Pitera Essence, $247, Sephora
