Overview#
On July 8, Balenciaga unveiled a limited-edition collection and an evocative campaign to mark this year’s Qixi Festival, also known as Chinese Valentine’s Day, which falls on August 10.
Shot by renowned photographer Wang Yishu in Shanghai, the campaign features couples such as director Che Che and singer Li Jiage, Fei and Yi Xiangyu, and Jiji and Ai. These duos are seen wearing pieces from the collection while sharing intimate moments in various urban settings, including restaurants, streets, botanical gardens, and subway stations. The accessories, casually draped and placed throughout the cityscape, exude an effortlessly chic vibe.
The collection includes classic black and pink T-shirts and hoodies adorned with white or red hand-drawn hearts, as well as black and cream-colored denim jackets, shorts, mini skirts, and pants with all-over graffiti prints.
Additionally, iconic Balenciaga accessories, such as Fluffy slippers, Explorer backpacks, and Le Cagole and Monaco bags, feature in festive limited-edition colors and materials like lilac padded nylon and bleached black industrial nylon.
Netizens’ reaction#
The campaign has sparked significant buzz among Chinese netizens, thanks in part to the endorsement of Che Che and Li Jiage.
Che, formerly Vice President of Chinese streaming platform iQiyi, has produced hit programs like The Rap of China and Hot-Blood Dance Crew. He has also led the production of influential youth culture programs such as I’m CZR and Fourtry, cementing his influence among young audiences in China. The hashtag “Balenciaga Qixi” has garnered over 18 million views on Weibo.
Although this year’s Qixi Festival falls on August 10, luxury brands such as Balenciaga, Prada, and Saint Laurent started launching dedicated campaigns from early this month. Qixi, one of China’s longest-standing traditional festivals thanks to the myth behind it, has in the past significantly boosted sales in the latter half of the year.
In the case of Balenciaga’s Qixi campaign, the house’s creative approach aligns with its 520 campaign by capturing different types of loving relationships, as well as its Chinese New Year “Paris Family” campaign earlier this year, which was inspired by a wordplay on the Chinese pronunciation of the brand’s name.
Balenciaga has invested heavily in love-themed festivals such as Qixi and 520 Day in China, continuously exploring evolving youth culture. Through a consistent and dynamic expression of modern love, the brand has effectively wooed Chinese luxury consumers.